The Runaway
by christibabe
Summary: Running from a past that still haunts her, Stephanie moved to London to work. Events transpire that have her working with American, Ranger Manoso and his team on a case. Ranger himself has issues from his own past that have made him the misogynist he is today. What will happen when Stephanie returns to Trenton and finds she'll be called on to work with him again? Eventual Babe HEA.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The characters you recognize as J.E. are hers, and I am only borrowing them. There are some original characters that are mine, and I claim them as mine. **

_**Spoilers:**_Anything from books 1-20 might be used, so if you haven't read them all, you might want to wait to read this story.

**This is an AU story with a mix of characters in canon as well. **

**A/N: **I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who review as guest as well as those of you who don't allow PMs. I love the reviews and want to tell you that I read and appreciate them all.** Special thanks to JenRar for coming along as beta on this story, and my co-author T. You gave me a lot of ideas and key elements in the story and deserve the title of co-author even though I wrote all the words. Thank you also to Dreemseeker for reading along and giving suggestions. **

**The Runaway**

Chapter 1: A Meeting to Remember

I cringed as I looked in the mirror and remembered my mother's words. Nearly twenty-four years later, and they still had the power to hurt. A knock on the bedroom door brought me back to the present, and I knew I could no longer stand here and reminisce on a past I'd just as soon forget. I stepped back and took one more look at the image in the mirror. Tiny, black, barely there dress, check; five-inch black FMPs, check; little black clutch purse complete with loaded gun, check; and the final item on the list, a wire placed under my left breast, check.

I turned, making my way from the bedroom to the kitchen, where Kye would be waiting. I'd nearly reached where he was standing when he turned and let his green-eyed gaze roam over me. I smiled when his gaze traveled back to meet my eyes and he raised an eyebrow.

I held my arms out and turned in a circle. "What do you think? Will I pass?"

Kye grinned, then winked and replied, "Darlin', you're sex on legs in that thing."

I felt my cheeks heating. You'd think that after six years as partners, I'd be used to his teasing, but no matter how I fought it, I still blushed every time he teased me about my looks. Just like every other time, his deep chuckle made the pink in my cheeks darken even more. Trying to change the subject, I asked, "You ready to go?"

A slow nod was his only response. He placed his hand at the small of my back, and we were on our way. Kye made sure the door was locked before we made our way down the four flights of stairs.

On most days, we'd walk or ride our bikes to work, since neither one of us was fond of having to pay congestion tax. The three point nine miles to the U.S. Embassy building was good exercise and helped me to be able to eat what I wanted and still stay in shape. Tonight, however, we were taking the car assigned to us by the department. We were on our way to Whiskey Mist on Hertford Street, Mayfair. Although it was less than a mile farther than we traveled to the office, there was no way I was walking or riding a bike nearly five miles in this barely there dress and five-inch heels.

The club wasn't our usual go-to place at night, but we'd been haunting this particular upscale establishment because the man we were after was known to frequent the place. Whisky Mist was the "in" place for royals and other A-listers, and there was a twenty pound price at the door just to step inside. The dress code was smart, and although I barely fit the bill, Kye looked like he'd just walked off the cover of GQ.

While I topped out at six feet in my heels, Kye was a good four or five inches taller, and his blond good looks gave him Adonis status. His emerald green eyes were mesmerizing, to say the least, and he had a dimple in each tanned cheek. Tonight, he wore his shoulder-length blond hair loose, rather than tying it back with a leather tie as he normally did when we were working. The dark suit he wore only adding to his affect.

It didn't take us long to reach the club. I took a deep breath to shore up my courage before climbing out of the car and making my way to the entrance. When I reached the door, I noticed Henry was on duty again tonight. Although he looked like your normal, run-of-the-mill Englishman, something about him put me on edge. I tried not to make eye contact as I handed over the cover charge, and when I passed him to enter the club, I felt all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and take notice.

I forced myself to keep walking and not look back. I scanned the room before heading to the bar. From all the information we'd been able to dig up, the guy we were after had a thing for picking up women that were sitting at the bar.

Just as I was nearing the only seat left, a big black man slipped into the spot and ordered a couple of drinks. He was no more than an inch or so taller than Kye, but this guy was built like a tank. Once he paid for his drinks, he turned and my eyes widened. This was one guy I wouldn't want to meet in some dark alley. He raised an eyebrow, and I frowned, wondering what he was waiting for.

Before I could wonder, the back of my neck felt like I'd touched a live wire. I put my hand up to rub the spot, and a low, masculine voice behind me said, "I was wondering what was taking you so long."

The guy in front of me handed one of the drinks to the man behind me before saying, "I didn't want to run over this little girl."

I took exception to being called a little girl and gave him my best 'Burg-girl glare. The guy's eyes widened, and he looked like he was trying very hard not to burst out laughing.

The man behind me placed his free hand at my waist and leaned in to whisper in my ear, "Excuse us, Babe. We have some business to take care of."

The heat from his hand went right to my doodah, and I stiffened. I looked down at the floor and noticed that his feet were in one of those fancy pairs of shoes. I bit my lip and debated, but I didn't appreciate the hand on my waist, even if he was waking up things down south. I lifted my right foot to bring my heel down on his toes, but before I could do that, he maneuvered us so that I was now facing him and there was no space between us.

I looked up to see the most gorgeous male I'd ever seen. We were the same height with my heels on, but he was a good hundred pounds heavier than I was. His silky, dark brown hair was pulled back with a leather tie, and his eyes were a shade darker than his hair. He was like a young Antonio Banderas meets Ricky Martin in the looks department, only better. The body that he held me close to was more like Rambo meets Batman.

His eyes were drilling into mine, holding my gaze as he brought our faces to within a whisper of each other. "I wouldn't try that again, Babe. You might not like how I'd get even."

I narrowed my eyes and smiled sweetly at him. "Let me go, or I'll show you why they say I'm lethal."

I was forced to remain still as he studied me for several seconds. Just when I was getting ready to ram my knee into his family jewels, he put his mouth to my ear and whispered, "Well then, I'd just have to show you why they call me best on every continent…Babe."

My knee came up, but before I could make contact, I was once again facing the bar and he was walking away. I slipped onto the bar stool and sat there shaking for several seconds before I managed to get myself back under control. I was furious that he'd come out of our encounter ahead. I swore if I ever ran into him again, I would let him have it. Jerk!

Once I was able to finally calm down, I turned to the bartender, who seemed to be smiling at me. He was a couple of inches taller than the guy I'd just had the run-in with and weighed about the same, with a similar muscular build. This guy had brown hair and green eyes, but he looked enough like the other guy that they could be related.

He walked over to where I was sitting. "What can I get for you, Beautiful?"

I wondered where Tina was. She didn't seem to be anywhere around. I was debating on whether to ask for a drink or wait and see if she was going to show up. We had our routine all worked out. I'd ask for a drink, and she'd fix me a non-alcoholic version that looked like the real thing. I felt eyes on me and turned back to the guy behind the bar.

He had his arms folded on the bar, leaning toward me, and was a little close for my liking. I backed up a little, and he laughed. It was a sound that drew attention. "Shh. Don't tell anyone, but I won't bite. Just tell me what you want to drink, and I'll be happy to fix it."

Just then, Tina came out from the back room and made her way over to where we were. She smiled at me and bumped her hip into the guy standing beside her. He wasn't prepared for the force of the bump, because he went sprawling. I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing.

He pushed himself up on his elbows and looked at Tina like she was crazy. "Now what did you want to go and do something like that for?"

Tina rolled her eyes and said, "Gee, I guess you need to be more aware of your surroundings."

Low masculine laughter came from behind me, and I turned to see the man I'd had the encounter with and his friend standing there smiling, watching the guy behind the bar. When I glanced back, I noticed the guy on the floor had a pained expression on his face.

He glared up at Tina and said, "See what you did? I'll never live this one down. You owe me."

Tina raised an eyebrow. "And just what, pray tell, do I owe you?"

He smiled, then winked at her and said, "How about a date?"

She looked him over and seemed to give it serious consideration. "I'm off on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you're really interested, I'll give you my number and you can call me. But if it's just a roll in the hay you're looking for, don't bother calling. I'm not into one-night stands."

He looked like he'd been poleaxed.

Tina held out her hand to help him up, and he took it, accepting her assistance as he pulled himself up. She motioned to where I was sitting. "This is my section of the bar. You go to the other end."

He did as she'd directed, and I noticed the two guys made their way down to join him. Before I turned to talk to Tina, I noticed that the three of them looked down to our end of the bar.

The back of my neck started tingling once more. I put a hand up to it absently as I turned to Tina. "I'll take the usual."

Tina winked at me and went to get my drink. When she set it down in front of me, I felt a cold shiver race down my spine. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I glanced around, but didn't see anything out of place. I was getting ready to turn back to my drink when I noticed movement at the door. I was careful to keep my expression neutral as the man we were here to nab walked into the room.

Turning to Tina, I asked, "Can I get an orgasm?"

For two beats, she looked like a deer caught in headlights, and then she moved to get the drink. The man sitting beside me got up and moved farther into the club...or at least, he gave that impression. I'd worked with Shepherd before. He was legendary at the office. Anyone who wanted a successful operation went to him before anyone else to fill their team.

The man who sat down beside me was six feet two inches tall and weighed in at three hundred pounds. There was flab mixed with muscle, and from his dossier, I knew he liked to pick up women at this club and beat them to the point they could no longer fight before he raped and killed them. The reason he hadn't been caught and put in jail before now was that he'd had diplomatic immunity here in England. That immunity was rescinded when he'd picked up a relative of the royal family. The royals had contacted his embassy and told them he was to leave the country. If he was found in the country, he would be taken into custody and tried like any other citizen or visitor to the crown.

Kye and I had been called into the boss's office three weeks ago, after the young woman was found, and we were given instructions to do our thing. We'd spent the three weeks coming here and setting up our cover. Prince Harry had made a point of coming in every couple of nights, and we would spend some time dancing and talking. Other nights, Kye would come over and ask me to dance to make sure I was noticed.

I felt eyes on me and looked over at the newcomer. He smiled, and I had to admit that he was a handsome enough guy. Knowing what I did, though, I was on guard. I returned his smile and fluttered my eyelashes. His eyes hardened, and it felt like I was looking evil in the eyes.

He raised his glass. "To beautiful women."

I fluttered my lashes again, lowering my eyes before asking, "You wouldn't by chance be flirting with me, now would you?"

He chuckled. "Would you mind if I were?"

His English was good, but you could tell it wasn't his first language. Having lived in England for the better part of six years, I'd learned the language and all the nuances well. As a matter of fact, most people would be surprised to know I wasn't a natural-born English citizen.

I grinned at the man beside me and replied, "I have a rule about having to know a guy's name before I can really flirt."

His eyes gleamed with lust as he nodded, then said, "Then let me introduce myself. I am Prince Raje Endinual of the Palace of Zahran."

I widened my eyes deliberately. "A prince? Wow! What should I call you?"

His eyes looked me over like I was a piece of meat. "You may call me Master."

I looked puzzled. "Master?"

His eyes heated, and the feeling of impending doom became more powerful. "Yes, bitch! That's what you must call me. In exchange, I will give you pleasure like you've never experienced before."

Oh boy! I certainly hoped the guys were getting all this. This guy was something else.

He downed his drink and said, "I want to dance. You will partner me."

I shrugged. "Sure. I like to dance."

We walked out onto the dance floor, and I pretended to lose myself in the music. He was a decent dancer, but after five fast songs, he was getting winded and insisted we go back to our seats. I slipped onto my stool and knocked over the drink in front of me.

Tina winked, but my new friend wasn't happy at all. I had a suspicion he'd had it laced with something while we were gone. We spent a few more minutes talking, and he suggested we adjourn to his place. I agreed, knowing we needed to get him out of the club in order for the guys to arrest him. Although Kye and I worked here in England, there was only so much we were able to do. Arresting people was left in the hands of the English police we worked with.

I allowed his hand on my waist and knew by the crushing grip of his hand that I would have bruises tomorrow. As we made for the door, I noticed he was heading in the direction we were hoping he wouldn't take. I tried to divert him to the exit we wanted but the grip he had on me was too strong for me to move away. I had a hinky feeling in the pit of my stomach as I heard what sounded like fists meeting flesh and glass breaking. I wanted to turn and see what was going on but the man beside me wasn't allowing the slight movement. I caught sight of Critter and he smiled and gave a thumbs up so I wondered if my instincts were just reacting to being so close to this man. We exited Whiskey Mist, and I went to continue walking as I always did in these situations. The grip on my waist tightened even more.

I turned to look up at him and knew things were going to get dicey. The sneer on his face was the first clue that he wasn't as unaware as we'd hoped he would be. "You wanted to make contact with me, bitch. Here I am. I will give you a glimpse at what the others had before the life left their bodies. My men are inside, running interference with your people. I will have enough time to teach you a lesson you won't soon forget."

**Ranger's POV**

We hit the ground in London, and there was a limousine waiting to take my team to the U.S. Embassy. The suits in Washington had made all the arrangements for them to work with us. They were a bit eager because it would mean that they wouldn't be in the hot seat with Zahran for arresting one of their royal family. The man we were after was a real prince of a guy, in more ways than one. Prince Raje Endinual of the Palace of Zahran was our ticket to the man we were really after: his older brother and ruling heir to the throne, Daje. I wanted him in the worst way.

The brothers were identical twins, and although Raje was a monster in his own right, Daje was even worse. It was our plan to use one brother to nab the other.

We'd spent the afternoon with the officials at the embassy, discussing our plan of action. Our contact called the Detective Chief Inspector for the case into his office. When he walked into the office, I was slightly surprised to see Cameron Shepherd. He'd been on several missions with us, and I knew he was someone I could trust.

The smile on his face when he saw us sitting there was genuine. "Ranger! I'll be damned. What are you doing in England?"

"We're after a high-dollar skip for the government."

Shep frowned, then asked, "For the U.S.? Who could that be?"

It was his boss that spoke up, saying, "Daje Endinual. What's more, I told him he could ride along with you boys tonight. He wants to take the brother back to the States to draw Daje out in the open."

Shep shook his head. "Are you loco, man? J will have a fit if you hand over her collar to someone else."

I raised an eyebrow. "Jay? What kind of name is Jay for a woman?"

Shep shuddered. "Not Jay. Just the letter J. That's the only name she's given us in the six years she's been working here."

My eyes narrowed as I said, "I guess she's just going to have to get used to disappointment, then. This has all been worked out between the agencies."

It was the man behind the desk that spoke up next. "I haven't had a chance to discuss this development with Agents A and J. I'm sure they will perform the job given to them like the professionals they are. The plan is already in motion—the only change will be in the outcome. Instead of the two of them taking this man back to the States, Ranger Manoso and his men will be in charge of the transport."

Shep grinned. "All righty. Just as long as you're the one that's going to tell her that."

We were dismissed after that and told we could discuss the particulars with Detective Chief Inspector Shepherd.

Tank and I followed Shep out of the office, and he led us to a room where the rest of the team was meeting to go over what was going to take place that evening. Just like for the past three weeks, they had this agent J going in dressed to attract Raje's attention. They went over where everyone would be and how things would go down if the target happened to show.

As I listened to the plan they had, my gut was telling me there was something wrong with this idea. I studied each of the men in the room, and most of them seemed like solid individuals. There was something, though, some piece of the puzzle that was missing.

Once the meeting was over, Shep led the way to a nearby café, where we were going to grab a bite to eat before moving to the vehicles and checking out locations. We were going with Shep to make sure everything was in place at Whiskey Mist, and then he was going to take us by other points of interest for the man we were after.

We made a stop by the club, and I turned to ask Shep the question that was bothering me at the moment. "How are you going to blend in and order drinks, but still make sure your men stay sober at the same time? Even one drink can make the difference between success and failure."

Shep shrugged. "Tina's working the bar so it won't be an issue. Why?"

"Who's Tina?" I asked.

Shep smiled. "She's my sister. She knows how to mix drinks and make them look real without putting any alcohol in them. She's been working at Whiskey Mist since she turned twenty-one."

I gave a half nod. "I'd feel better if one of my men could partner her behind the bar."

He winced. "We'll head over to her place and see what she says. I have to warn you, though, she's pretty feisty. She can put your ass on the ground faster than a rattlesnake can strike."

I kept my blank look in place as I said, "Duly noted."

There were three of us that had flown to London, but there were five total in our group. Tank, Lester, and myself had just arrived, but I'd sent Woody and Hector on the red eye a few hours before our flight was due to leave. I wanted them to secure all the equipment we would need. By the time we landed at Heathrow, they'd had a hotel suite and everything on the list I'd given them. I'd hand-picked my team, each man added another element to the overall makeup of the group. Between the five of us, we had all the manpower we'd need.

We arrived at the apartment building where Tina lived in short order. It was as we climbed out of the vehicles that Shep looked our way, hesitating. "Maybe you should pick your man for behind the bar, and you and I can go up with him. I don't think she'd appreciate a bunch of strangers descending on her."

I nodded, turning to my men. I raised an eyebrow as Lester grinned. I nodded once again to acknowledge acceptance of his volunteering for the job, and without a word, he followed us toward the front entrance of the building, which was made up of brick and glass. The windows looked as big as the wall of a room. The three of us entered the building and immediately went to the stairs to reach our destination. Five flights of stairs later, Shep stopped in front of a door and knocked, waiting patiently for it to be opened. I was beginning to think we were wasting our time, when the door finally swung open to reveal a woman in her late twenties standing there glaring out at us.

Her gaze went first to Shep, then to me, and finally to Santos. There was a slight stiffening of her body when her eyes landed on Les. She was about five and a half feet tall, with dark brown hair and light blue eyes. There was a dusting of freckles across her cute little nose, and her skin was a honey tone. Although she wasn't my type, she was gorgeous. From the way Lester was looking at her curvy frame, she'd definitely made a hit with my cousin.

Shep grinned. "How are you doing, Tina?"

She rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "You woke me thirty minutes early. How the hell do you think I'm doing?" She talked with a Jersey accent, which surprised me.

Shep chuckled and replied, "I need a favor. As you know, we'll be at the club tonight, hoping to catch the prince. My friend Ranger here would like to put his man behind the bar."

She looked at me with narrowed eyes. "I could lose my job if he screws up."

Lester took exception to what she was saying and said, "I'm too good to screw up, Beautiful."

She glared at Lester. "Don't…call…me…that! I'm not some bimbo you pick up in a bar. The name is Tina." She paused for a beat and then continued. "But you can call me your highness, if you like."

Lester threw back his head and gave a deep belly laugh. "I'm in your hands—" he paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "—your highness." Then he bowed.

Tina laughed right back at him and said, "I need to get ready, and then we can meet at the club. Just tell Henry that you're there to meet me. Make sure you don't walk in with Cam, though."

Lester frowned. "Who the hell is Cam?"

Shep laughed. "That would be me, Santos, at least to my family."

Les grinned.

We left shortly after that, and Shep took us on a tour of the area where we would be that night. I wanted more details about Whiskey Mist, so I asked him to drive us back there so I could take a more in-depth look around. I noticed several problematic areas. If the guy we were after came out the front, everything would be fine. The area was well lit. However, if he bypassed the front and went out the side entrance, that door led to a dark alley that could be dangerous at night.

We headed back to our hotel, Park Plaza County Hall. I figured it was time for us to get ready for tonight. Normally, non-citizens wouldn't be allowed to carry weapons. Since I was here for the government, I was awarded special dispensation, as was the rest of my team.

One of the underlying reasons I'd had Hector come over here early, as well as getting our equipment, was that I wanted his ear to the ground to see if there was any fallout from the last mission I'd gone on for Uncle Sam. I had reason to believe that the ending wasn't as straightforward as I'd been led to believe. Hector was listening to activity to determine if the situation would call for more attention. He was working with a couple of operatives I used when I was in Europe.

Shep left us at the hotel so he could head home and get ready himself.

Two hours later, Lester left to meet Tina.

Tank, Woody, and I went over what we expected to go down at the club tonight. Something was still nagging me about the scenario Shep was putting in place, but I couldn't put my finger on it…yet.

When it was time to leave for the club, we headed down in the elevator. I was playing the part of a distinguished visitor, so I needed to act the part. Tank was acting the part of my bodyguard and would be going inside Whiskey Mist with me.

The limo was waiting for us when we stepped out of the hotel. Tank opened the back door and scanned the vehicle before I slid inside, and then after doing another scan, he climbed in beside me. I told the driver where we were going, and we were on our way.

It didn't take long to get to the club, and when we stopped, Tank got out and once again scanned the area before signaling me that it was all clear. When I stepped out of the car, I felt eyes on me, and with a minute tilt of my head, I gave a signal.

At the door, while Tank was paying for both of us to get inside, the feeling we were being watched became a feeling that the mission was going to go FUBAR. After eight years in active duty and two more doing Special Ops missions for the government, my sense of knowing when something was going wrong was legendary. The only downside was that, as of yet, I didn't know what was going to go wrong, and I wasn't able to act on my instincts.

I found the perfect spot in the club. I was able to keep my back to the wall and see all the activity going on at the same time. While I was waiting for Tank to come back with our drinks, I got my first look at what could only be described as sex walking.

She was wearing a barely there black dress that only just covered all the essentials, with a matching clutch purse and five-inch killer heels, all in black. She had curly brown hair that begged to have hands run through it, and her eyes… They were the most brilliant blue eyes I'd ever seen. She was drop dead gorgeous, and at a guess, she would match my own six feet in those shoes she was wearing.

The closer to her I got, the more I felt like I'd just taken hold of a live wire. I didn't like this feeling, but I had no idea why I felt so strongly about it. In my world, women were good for one thing and one thing only. Although she was beautiful, and possibly the perfect woman to use for scratching this itch that was growing stronger every day, there was something about her that told me it would be a mistake. She was a complication I couldn't afford.

The feel of her skin when I touched her set me on fire, and the part of me that wasn't as analytical about things surged to attention at her nearness. It took some fancy footwork to keep that particular appendage out of the line of fire when she took exception to my actions…or maybe it was the words that I'd spoken.

From the look on her face, she wasn't happy with the way things were going. When I leaned down to her, I struggled momentarily with the overwhelming desire that punched me in the gut. The part of my brain that told me this wasn't a good idea had lost, because I knew that I'd take her to my bed at the first opportunity. I wanted her, and nothing else mattered. When I warned her about trying again, a huge part of me was hoping that she would indeed try again so that I would have an excuse to take her mouth under my own.

How a little wisp could be considered lethal was beyond me, but if she wanted to play this out, I would be more than willing to show her why I was the best on every continent.

I saw Prince Raje enter the bar as I was swinging her around to face the bar, an action that had become necessary to once again protect a part of my anatomy from injury. All I wanted to do was move up behind her and pull her body close to mine, but I fought the attraction, knowing that it would only lead down a road that I wasn't willing to travel. I released her so that I could move into place.

Tank and I went to sit down, and I watched Raje enter. Lester moved down to the far side of the bar, and a slight motion of his hand had Tank and me moving forward to find out what he wanted. As we stood there, Les leaned forward enough to let me know the beautiful creature I'd had the encounter with and was planning to get into bed at the first opportunity was none other than Agent J. Just what I didn't need. Now I'd need to hold off on acting on the attraction I felt in order to get the job done.

I turned and looked around the room, seeing Agent J dancing with Raje. I watched them for some time, and then from the corner of my eye, I saw Shep in an altercation with a big bear of a man. When Shep went to pull his gun, the man stabbed him with a knife. I moved in that direction to help my friend and left the little prima donna to her own devices.

There was a scuffle, and it took me several precious minutes to reach my friend. When I was finally able to kneel by Shep, I was just in time to hear him say, "It's a distraction so Raje can get J without interference. He's got her now."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

**Tina's POV**

Once my brother and his friends left, I headed in to take a shower. Since I had extra time, I turned the massaging jets on the shower head on high and let the hot water beat down on my tense neck and shoulder muscles. The fifteen-minute massage did me a world of good. I was feeling much better when I stepped out of the shower and dried off before getting dressed for work.

Twenty minutes later, I was ready to walk out of my flat door, when I felt a funny buzz in my stomach. I stopped, looking around the apartment, but I could see nothing that might cause the feeling I'd had. I thought about my brother's visit and his asking me to let his friend act as a trainee bartender tonight. Holy hot flash. That man was _fine_.

I started thinking about all the things that could go wrong tonight, which led me to thoughts about Stephanie. I'd met her when I'd gone over to the States as a foreign exchange student to study for a year at Rutgers seven years ago. We'd become fast friends and had been friends ever since. Stephanie worked quite often with my brother, Cam, who would frequently arrange for me to act as bartender at the various clubs when they needed to run a sting on some sorry piece of shit. Stephanie was a self-proclaimed lightweight when it came to drinking, and with my skills, I was able to hand her drinks that looked and smelled the part, but were actually no more than a variety of flavorful juice drinks, complete with seltzer water when bubbles were needed. I did the same for the guys working the sting so there would be no room for question that they were all sober.

The buzz got markedly stronger when I thought of Stephanie. I didn't question it. I just made my way over to the safe I'd had installed behind a portrait on the wall and pulled out my .38 special. I made sure it was fully loaded and the safety was on before placing it in my handbag. I paused, biting my lip a moment, and then took out the stun gun and added it to the bag as well.

I felt significantly better as I headed for the door once again, locking it behind me as I left the flat before making my way to the elevator. When I stepped out of the building, Jason was waiting, right where he was every afternoon when I had to work.

Jason smiled as I got in the back of his cab. His brown eyes were twinkling as he said, "On to work, love?"

I tried to keep a straight face as I raised an eyebrow and made an effort to look down my nose at him. I lost it when he looked at me cross-eyed, and he joined in the laughter. When I had myself under control a few minutes later, I told him, "To work, James, and step on it."

We were both laughing as he pulled us out into the flow of traffic.

Jason was a nice young man that I'd met shortly after I'd started working at Whiskey Mist. He'd come in one night and sat at the bar nursing a drink.

I'd been mad as a hornet from a run-in with a cabbie earlier in the afternoon, and I was slamming things around.

_The guy frowned at me and asked, "What's got your knickers in a twist?"_

_I looked over at him with what Stephanie would call my best 'Burg-girl glare. "An ass of a cabbie, that's what. Stupid asinine devils, the lot of them."_

_His eyes widened as he raised his hands up in mock surrender. "What did the bloke do?"_

_I slammed the bar towel in my hand down on top of the bar and leaned in closer to him. "He tried to charge me triple fare because he took a wrong turn and got lost. Blimey idiot!"_

_He shook his head. "Don't lump him in with the lot of us. He's not a true cabbie." He took a card out of his wallet and handed it to me. "Call me the next time you need a ride to work."_

_I studied him for several seconds before I accepted the card. "I just might do that."_

_He looked down at his drink, and I got a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. I narrowed my eyes on him before leaning on the top of the bar in order to get closer to him. "So what has your insides all twisted up?"_

_He looked up at me, and the feeling in my stomach intensified. _

_The hand closest to his drink clenched into a fist. "Had a row with my mate. The bloke's been cheating on me. I threw his stuff out of the flat after he stormed off, called a locksmith to change all the locks, then talked with the super to tell him not to allow the slimy bastard back into the building. I'm in here attempting to drown my sorrows. Bloody unfortunate for me, I'm not fond of alcohol."_

_I grinned. "You just sit right there. I have just the drink for you, mate." I mixed a drink and set it before him. "Give that a whirl."_

_He took a tentative sip and raised an eyebrow. "That's bloody good, love."_

_I stepped back and bowed._

_He threw back his head, laughing. _

We'd become fast friends after that. Each week, when my shift was posted, I'd let him know what days I'd be working, and when I'd come out of my flat building, there he'd be, waiting for me. Once the night was over, we'd reverse the trip and he'd take me home.

I was brought back to the present by Jason speaking again. "Here you go, love."

I looked out the window to see we were indeed in front of Whiskey Mist. I handed Jason cab fare plus tip and climbed out of the cab. I stopped at the front door to let Henry know I was expecting a new bloke for behind the bar. As I walked away, all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I really didn't like that guy. He'd creeped me out whenever I'd had to be near him ever since the first day I'd started working here. I shook off the feeling and made my way behind the bar so I could make sure it was fully stocked for the night.

Lester arrived a short time later, and by the look on his face, someone must have royally pissed him off. His gaze caught mine and he asked, "Just how friendly _are_ you and Henry?"

I frowned. "I can't stand the bloke. Why?"

"Because he just told me I was in for a wild ride with you, if I caught his drift."

Now _I_ was pissed. Damn Henry. That dude was cruisin' for a bruisin'. When I looked up, Lester was studying me with narrowed eyes. "He's an arse," I told Lester. "Don't pay him no never mind. Come on. I'll show you the lay of the land."

I spent the next hour going over everything with him. I'd have to say he was a fast learner. In no time, he was moving around as if he'd been born to be a bartender.

It was getting close to the time when Stephanie would be coming in, so I went in the back to get my special stuff I kept on hand just for her. When I went back out to the front, Lester was handing two drinks to a big black man.

Stephanie was standing behind the black man, and there was movement behind her. I recognized the bloke that Cam had been with earlier that day, Ranger, standing behind her. I watched the interchange between them and managed somehow to keep the smile from slipping onto my face. Talk about fireworks. The chemistry between the two of them was explosive at best, and I wondered how long it would take before they were heating up the sheets. Of course, knowing Stephanie as well as I did, I knew she had some serious issues from her past to get over first.

After I knocked Lester on his ass with a hip bump—after all, I couldn't have him muscling in on my territory, and my body got a thrill at the brief contact between our bodies—Ranger and the black man headed down the bar where I'd sent Lester, and I stepped forward to see what Steph wanted to drink. Once she got involved with her mark, I let my eyes scan the bar. I caught sight of Cam, and something about the way the other bloke was standing had me nervous.

No sooner than the thought registered, the man pulled a knife, slicing into Cam. I was ready to go to his aide, when I felt a grip on my arm.

Lester had moved back beside me without my being aware of it and was holding onto my arm, a fierce look in his eyes. "You stay here. Ranger will take care of him."

I hesitated. From what I saw, Ranger was having trouble getting to Cam because there were several blokes getting in his way, as if they were purposely slowing him down. He finally managed to reach Cam's side and was working at stemming the flow of blood.

I felt a bit shaky and went over to sit on a stool that we kept behind the bar. More as a tool for me to use to stand on so I could reach the bottles that were on shelves higher than I could reach.

Lester knelt down beside me. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Sure. I just need to catch my breath a minute."

"You stay here as long as you need. I'll handle the bar."

Before I could say anything, he was gone. I leaned back against the wall and let my gaze take in the scenery. It seemed to be crazy in here tonight. More so than usual. All the tables and bar stools were full, and it was standing room only.

There were men throwing punches at other men all over the place. This was something we didn't often see here. As a matter of fact, with the high penalty for starting a bar fight, this was nearly unheard of.

There'd been something off about this night right from the beginning, and now I was worried about Cam. I'd used the phone to call for emergency personnel. I just had to hope they got here in time.

I looked around the club and frowned as I realized I no longer saw Stephanie. The men that were working the sting were all otherwise engaged, and I knew this bust had gone to hell in a handbasket. I got the feeling this wasn't going to end well for someone, and since Steph was the one missing, I was worried she might be in danger.

I slipped from my seat and went in the back to get my purse, glad I'd come prepared tonight. I stopped by Lester and said, "I'll be right back. Going to get a breath of air."

He looked at me funny, but said nothing, just nodding.

I followed the path that Stephanie took, and when I emerged from the club, it was to find her and the bully conversing. I couldn't yet hear what he said to her, but I could tell she didn't like it. Her knee rammed into his gonads, but he didn't go down like most men would. He let out a roar and charged her. The two of them went sprawling, and I winced as I imagined the road rash she'd have from that.

She was up quickly, but he was even quicker, and I knew if I didn't act fast, this could end tragically. I slipped my hand inside my purse and moved swiftly forward. I removed the object I wanted from my purse, making sure it was charged, then put it to his arm and squeezed the trigger. There was the sound of electrical current, and he went down like a felled tree.

Stephanie turned to me with a weak smile. "Thanks. I owe you one."

We were both startled by a deep, "What the bloody hell?"

Ranger and Lester were making their way toward us with a group of guys that I knew worked with Cam. When my eyes landed on Kye, I knew who the speaker was.

Kye went to Stephanie, taking his jacket off as he did so. When he reached her, he gently put the jacket around her shoulders. "Are you all right, love?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. He set us up. He had men in there with orders to keep you lot busy while he imparted a lesson out here."

Ranger stepped forward and placed a set of handcuffs on the man lying inert on the ground.

Stephanie whipped her head around, a fierce glare on her face as she demanded, "What the bloody hell do you think _you're_ doing?"

Ranger looked up at her with a smirking smile and said, "Taking charge of my prisoner, Babe."

She took a step closer, "_Your_ prisoner? That's my prisoner, you arse!"

Ranger lifted an eyebrow. "Looks like my cuffs are on him. That makes him mine."

"Oh no! I've been working this case for three weeks, and no way am I letting you come in and take off with the prize."

He chuckled. "I don't see where you have much choice."

Her eyes narrowed and she took a step closer.

Stitch stepped between them. "Listen, folks, we don't have time for this. We need to get him out of here and back to headquarters. You two can fight it out back there."

Stephanie moved her gaze to Stitch, and I had to hide my smile as he turned white as a ghost, held his hands up, and said, "Sorry, love. The constable gave the word, and the Americans get the prisoner."

There was a momentary look of disbelief before she schooled her features not to give anything away. Then she nodded. "I'll talk to him, then."

Ranger stood and motioned to the big black man. "Take care of this."

His only response was, "Yo."

Ranger moved toward Steph. "There's blood dripping. Are you hurt?"

She tilted her chin in the air. "If I am, I'm sure A will be more than happy to take care of it."

Ranger's gaze went to A, and he studied him for several seconds. His jaw flexed, as if he weren't happy about something. He merely nodded and moved back with his men.

I made my way over to Stephanie and asked, "Are you really okay?"

I saw her glance over at Raje's prone body before she nodded. Her voice was no more than a whisper as she told me, "You might want to hide that in your purse, though."

I jumped as Lester spoke from behind me. "Damn, woman! You could have gotten both of you killed. You should have said something to me and let me handle this."

I turned to him with a glare. "I'm a big girl. Cam made sure I can defend myself."

"Yeah, right! What's a little girl like you going to do against somebody that knows what they're doing?"

I looked him up and down. "Like you, I suppose."

He grinned. "If the shoes fit…"

I smiled sweetly and stepped up till I was flush against him. I raised myself on tiptoe and placed my mouth over his, letting my tongue caress the seam of his lips. His mouth opened slightly, and the next thing everyone knew, he was down on the ground, out cold.

Stephanie laughed. "I guess that will teach him to let you distract him. That was one _stun_ner of a kiss."

I turned to her with a smile. "I'd love to do it again under different circumstances."

A good-looking Hispanic man with a tear drop tattoo knelt down beside Lester. His accent was thick as he asked, "What you do?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I showed him I can defend myself." With that, I turned to Stephanie. "Make sure you get that looked at."

She rolled her eyes. "I will."

**Stephanie's POV**

I couldn't believe my luck. What, did I have a target on me somewhere saying screw with me? I scanned the area looking for anything that might help me out of this situation, but I came up with nothing. I knew Raje was right about the others on the team being distracted, because as of yet, no one had joined us. I couldn't help thinking about Critter's actions, though, as I took a deep breath, calming myself, and then I acted. I spun quickly, bringing my knee up into his groin.

Raje didn't respond as most men would, though. Instead of going down and writhing on the ground, he let out an inhuman sound and charged me. The look in his eyes told me why he was considered the monster he was. He liked to hurt people—especially women who were smaller and weaker than he was.

Well, I was no weakling, and I'd be damned if I was going to let him win this one. He grabbed a hold of my arm and jerked me off my feet a bit as he pulled me closer. I tried the holds my dad and Joe had taught me growing up, but the man was a mountain and wouldn't budge. I couldn't get an advantage.

He tossed me, and I went sprawling a few feet away. I managed to somehow sprawl him out on the pavement with me. There was a burning sensation when I landed on the ground. I pulled myself up, realizing I'd hit a sharp piece of broken glass when I'd hit the ground, as I had a gash in my forearm. I looked around, but I didn't have much time because Raje was up as well and he was reaching out to grab my arm.

I was thrilled beyond belief to see my best friend standing there, her stun gun out, and the next thing I knew, Raje's innert body was lying on the ground as the team from the club finally made its way out to join us. I frowned as I recognized the man I'd had the run-in with earlier. What the bloody hell was_ he_ doing here?

Kye walked over to me and placed his jacket around my shoulders. I pulled it close for the warmth. I could feel the blood running down my arm as I stood there talking to the others. My only thought was I wanted to get home and get the filth of the night washed off me. Something about the way the stranger looked at me made me uneasy, and I just wanted away from here.

When it registered that he said he was taking _my_ prisoner, I was pissed. I'd spent three weeks getting this all set up, and he comes in at the eleventh hour and takes off with the prize. I planned to put a bee in the constable's ear over this lot.

Kye placed a hand at my waist, and I looked up, meeting his gaze. I gave a little nod, knowing he would know I was ready to get out of here.

He winked at me, and we made our way to the car. After he helped me into the passenger seat, he went around and got in behind the wheel.

Funny the things you think about after the danger is over. All I could think about right now was how odd it was, seeing the steering wheel on the right side of the car instead of the left. You'd think I'd be used to it by now. After all, I'd lived in London for six years now.

I'd known I wanted to work for the FBI ever since I was little. I'd spent hours on end in my room, planning out how my life would go. It beat looking out the window and watching Val outside playing, or seeing one of my all-time best friends, Joe Morelli, outside playing. They were free. I'd wanted to be free one day.

My mind wandered back to the day I'd met a real, honest-to-goodness, FBI agent. A few weeks before, I'd finally decided I was going to run away.

_I was eight years old that autumn day, and I had everything all planned. I'd managed to save nearly three hundred dollars from what my dad would give me for birthdays and stuff, and I put it in a special place along with a few of my favorite clothes. Everything I owned fit in the backpack I had for school, and on this day, instead of packing the school stuff, I packed my get-out-of-jail-free stuff. _

_Two pairs of jeans, because they were cheaper than the fancy clothes Val wore, three T-shits, two pairs of socks, five pair of underwear—apparently it was a mortal sin to wear dirty underwear in the 'Burg—a hairbrush, toothpaste, toothbrush, and the Wonder Woman my Grandma Mazur had gotten me for my sixth birthday—all my worldly goods. I fit everything in my backpack and wore the only other outfit I had down to the breakfast table. I ate my single piece of burnt toast as I watched Val eat waffles with syrup and sausage links, along with a nice glass of milk. I reached for the water to help swallow down the awful toast. Most days, I skipped breakfast, claiming I wasn't hungry, but I knew I'd need my energy today. Today, I was going to be free._

_When Val finished, she stood and gave our mother a kiss and a hug. _

_Mother was smiling as she hugged her back and told her what a beautiful little girl she was. _

_I stood to follow Val so we could walk to school. When I was close to my mother, she wacked me so hard with her hand that I fell on the floor._

_She had a monstrous look on her face as she said, "Get out of my sight, you little whore! You good for nothing little slut!"_

_I was used to this kind of treatment, so I was able to keep from reacting and letting the hurt show. That only made things worse. I stood, adjusted my backpack, and hurried after Val._

_Once we were away from the house, Val turned to me, her expression sad. "Are you okay, Stephanie?"_

_I nodded._

_Val hugged me. "I love you. And you know Daddy and Grandma Mazur do too."_

_I just nodded once again. Those were the three people I was going to miss the most. Well, them and Joe Morelli._

_We continued on to the school, and when we got there, I hugged Val tight and said, "Love you."_

_She looked at me kind of funny and said, "I love you too, Stephanie. You know I do."_

_I looked at her for several seconds and then smiled. I didn't want her to get suspicious. Once she'd gone into the building, I walked over to where Joe was standing and talking to some of the other older kids. I bit my lip and struggled not to let the tears fall on my face when he looked at me._

_Joe turned to his other friends and said, "I'll catch you later."_

_Once they moved away, he turned back to me and asked, "What's up, Steph?"_

"_I just wanted to say goodbye."_

_His eyes got serious and he asked, "Where are you going?"_

_I shrugged._

"_You're running away, aren't you?"_

_I nodded. By now, the tears were streaming down my face. "I'm going to be free."_

_He didn't even hesitate. "I'm coming with you."_

_I looked up at him. "But you don't have your stuff. Besides, your mom will worry about you and call the police. Mine won't notice."_

_There was a look on his face I didn't understand as he said, "Your dad will notice and be very worried. You need someplace safe till he gets back from his mission."_

_The tears fell even faster. "He's not coming back. She said he got himself killed and it's all my fault. She said he wouldn't still be in the Army if he didn't have to get away from me."_

_There was a sound like a growl coming from Joe. "Your dad isn't dead. Trust me on this. Please. Come with me, and I'll hide you till your dad gets back. I need to know you're safe."_

_I thought about it for several seconds and then nodded. I could always get free later if things didn't work out. At least I hoped I could. I followed Joe a few blocks from the school to his Grandma Bella's neighborhood. He led the way to a tree house in the backyard. I looked around in wonder. It was wonderful inside. It looked like a miniature bedroom, with a small cot, complete with sleeping bag on top of it, a makeshift dresser made out of milk crates, and an old-fashioned chamber pot, as well._

_Joe turned to me. "You can stay here. I'll stop after school and bring you some food."_

_I looked around at the luxury I'd be staying in and turned to him with a grin. "Thank you."_

_He hugged me tight to him and then said he had to get to school. _

I was brought out of my daydreams by a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Kye's worried gaze on me. I smiled weakly. "I'm fine. Just some bad memories."

His gaze turned fierce. "Your mother was a first-class bitch. She doesn't even deserve the title of mother."

I placed my hand on his arm. "You're a good friend."

He made his eyes go cross-eyed and at my laugh, he joined me and said, "Let's go get your wounds tended to."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Kye's POV**

I was furious as I helped Stephanie inside the flat. Someone had tipped the bastard off, and I bloody well intended to find out who it was. It was obvious from the amount of muscle inside distracting the team that Raje had planned his attack well.

After I unlocked the door, I opened it and suggested, "Why don't you go take your shower, love, and I'll get the medical kit ready."

Stephanie didn't bother to answer as she moved through to the bathroom. I knew her mind was on cleaning the feel of filth off her. She always got this way after this type of distraction. Of course, that made me even more furious that she'd had to go through this.

I remembered our first meeting. I was a cocky twenty-one-year-old senior at Rutgers and hurrying to class when I was slammed into by a little bit of nothing. The impact had stopped me but done no damage, yet it had knocked her on her ass. Her books had gone flying and she'd glared up at me. When I laughed, her glare had turned fiercer.

_I held my hand out to her and said, "Sorry, doll. Let me give you a hand."_

"_I'm not a doll." She slapped my hand away. "I can get myself up."_

_She'd proceeded to do just that, brushing herself off. She looked down at the scattered books and groaned before starting to gather them. I stood there watching until a few seconds later, when she turned and again glared at me. "You could help pick up the damn books, since you're the one that sent them scattering to hell and gone."_

_I shrugged, doing my best to keep my face blank of emotion. "Well, I didn't want to offend you by offering help again."_

_I picked up the books nearest me, and when I handed them to her, she went white as a sheet. I frowned, asking, "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"_

_She shook her head. "No, I'm fine."_

_I didn't buy it. My eyes narrowed as I told her, "Try again."_

_She looked up at me, her eyes studying me. After a minute, she conceded, "I'd been dating a guy for a few months, and he wanted to take things to the next level and meet my parents. He wasn't happy that I disappeared from his life, and he came looking for me. He's making himself a nuisance is all. That's his latest note."_

_I lifted the note. "May I?"_

_She shrugged._

_I took that as assent and opened the paper so I could read what was written there. My jaw clenched as I read the filth the bastard was spewing in the note. _

You bitch! You're nothing but a tease. I'm going to have some fun teaching you a lesson for leading me on. I know where you are at all times.

_I looked at her again. "Let's take this to the police."_

_She frantically shook her head. "No! I'm good, really. I can take care of myself."_

"_Well, yeah, I can see that. But this guy could turn dangerous."_

_She hesitated, and I'd wondered if he'd already shown her how dangerous he could be. Just when I thought she was going to refuse, she nodded her head. "All right. I'll contact them later, after classes."_

_I shook my head. "We'll go now."_

_Although she was reluctant, she allowed me to walk her to the parking lot. When she stopped by a Ducati, I was floored. Not many young women of my acquaintance would have the nerve to own any motorcycle, and to me, this one was the crème de la crème. _

_My face must have given away my thoughts, because she grinned at me, her eyes twinkling with mirth, and my heart was a goner. _

_She lifted her chin. "I think I have it from here."_

"_I could go with you, if you'd like." She was hesitating so I pushed the envelope. "Or don't you think you can control that thing with little ole me on the back?"_

_Her eyebrow rose. She climbed on the bike, turned to me, and said, "Okay, pretty boy. Put your money where your mouth is. Hop on and hang on."_

_I did both and was infinitely glad that I'd had years of practice racing bikes. She peeled out of the lot like the hounds of hell were on her tail, and twenty minutes later, she slid into a spot right smack in front of the closest police station._

_After making our way inside, it took a few minutes before a detective called us to his office to talk to us. He was a big, burly guy that looked like he was born on the force a hundred years ago. He waved his hand to the chairs in front of his desk. "Have a seat. What brings you here?"_

_Stephanie pulled the note out and handed it to the old man. "I got this note."_

_He got a pair of gloves out and put them on before carefully taking the note from her. He glanced at it and stilled. I don't know what it was, but something about the note seemed to hit a familiar cord with him. He lifted his head and looked at Stephanie. "Any ideas who might have sent this to you?"_

_She bit her lip, worrying it before taking a deep breath and replying, "I think it might be Dickie Orr. We dated for a few months, and when he wanted to meet my parents, I decided to move into the dorm at Rutgers early."_

_The old man's jaw clenched. "And he knew you were planning to take classes there?"_

_She nodded._

"_Has he ever been physically abusive to you?"_

_Her eyes lowered and she was playing with her hands, as if she were trying to avoid the answer. After several seconds, she lifted her head and said, "When he would kiss me, he would try doing other things, and I'd tell him no. There were a couple of times I didn't think he'd listen to me. I'd have bruises the next day."_

_My jaw clenched and I wanted to hit something. The image of my little sister Jenny flashed through my mind. Jenny was fourteen when she was brutally raped and murdered by a football hero from her high school. That was three and a half years ago, but I remembered it like it was yesterday. _

_The detective in front of us said, "I'm going to take your statement. I want you to tell me everything. I'm filing this report, and I promise you this, little girl: this report won't get buried, and I'll keep my eyes open."_

_Three hours later, we exited the police station, and as we were walking toward the motorcycle, I heard a loud roar and looked around to see what had made the noise. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the flush on Stephanie's cheeks and asked, "You know what made that sound?"_

_She shrugged. "I forgot to eat breakfast because I was running late. It's now past lunchtime, and I'm starving."_

_I threw my head back and laughed. "Come on, doll. I'll take you to my place and feed you."_

_She hesitated. _

_I leaned down and whispered, "You're beautiful and I think I love you, but you aren't my type. I bat for the other team."_

_She looked up at me with stunned surprise, and the smile that lit her face gave me a warm feeling all the way down to my soul. I was so distracted, I barely caught her comment. "In that case, I'd love some lunch."_

I'd directed her to my apartment and heated up leftovers for us. We'd talked while we ate, and I'd learned quite a bit from her. She was from Trenton, New Jersey, where she'd been living with her dad and stepmom for the past eight years. She had one sister, two stepbrothers, and a stepsister, plus various nieces and nephews. There was a lot that she hadn't told me, though. When I'd mentioned her mother, the look on her face had broken my heart. Sensing it was something she didn't want to talk about, I'd quickly changed the subject and lightened the mood. By the end of our conversation, I'd convinced her to move in with me.

Now, ten years later, we were still living together and I was still able to watch over and protect her.

I'd joined the FBI right after my graduation from college. I still remembered the first case I'd worked. It was a grisly murder, and I'd taken some files home with me. Not thinking, I'd set them on the coffee table while I went to take a shower. When I'd come back into the living room, Stephanie was sitting on the sofa with her legs curled up underneath her, reading through the files.

_She looked up as I stepped into the room. Something about the look on her face told me she wasn't really seeing me, but some scene in her mind. _

_I walked over and took the file from her. _

_She shook her head, as if shaking herself out of her thoughts, and asked, "Do you have any leads?"_

_I hesitated. _

_Before I could decide whether to tell her anything or not, she went on to say, "There was something odd in one of the photos. It really didn't seem to belong. Oh, and I think I know one of the suspects. If I'm right, his parents live in the 'Burg. I could call Grandma Mazur and see what she knows about him."_

_I sat down beside her and thought about the scene I'd seen earlier that day, and then I opened the file and asked, "What doesn't seem to belong?"_

_She put her feet on the ground and scooted to the edge of the sofa beside me before leaning over the file in front of me. She lifted one of the photos from the file and pointed to an object that I'd found peeking out from under a dresser in the room. It was a rustic talisman that looked out of place in the frilly décor of the room. I'd taken the photo on a hunch, and now that she'd mentioned it looking out of place, I was glad I'd gone with my instincts._

_I leaned back against the back of the sofa and asked, "So, which one of these people do you think your grandma might know about?"_

_She leaned back beside me. "Timothy Abscott. The Abscotts have lived in the 'Burg for about ten years. Being newbies, everyone has been keeping an eye on them. They had a son with them when they first moved in, but about six months after they arrived, the son disappeared. If this is your suspect's parents, it makes me wonder what happened to him or what he might have done."_

I'd given her the go ahead to ask her grandma, and what we'd found out had helped me to close the case, bringing me under the attention of the powers that be in the Bureau.

Stephanie had found out that the son had been sent to a psych ward because he'd gone off the deep end and tried to kill his parents. He was a drug user, and his drug of choice was liquid meth. He'd managed to convince the doctors at the hospital that he was a changed person, so they'd let him out into the general public. His first act upon getting free was to murder the victim.

That was the beginning of a beautiful partnership. I'd bring my files home to pore over them at night, and Stephanie would look over them and find the needle in the haystack I needed to solve the case.

I'd been working for the department for nearly two years when I was invited to a party at my superior's house. It was a barbeque, and I'd been encouraged to bring a date. No one knew I was gay, so that had posed a bit of a problem. I wasn't ashamed of my sexual orientation, but back then especially, there were some in the department that were known not to back up their partners when word got out that they were gay. I was taking no chances, especially because some of those times I needed backup, Stephanie was with me. When I'd explained my dilemma to Stephanie, she'd suggested she partner me. Of course, I'd jumped at her suggestion, and the two of us had gone to the party.

_We arrived at the house, which was in a swanky part of the city. A maid answered the door when we rang the bell, and she ushered us back to the patio area, where a large group of people were gathered. _

_There was a large area with inlaid bricks. Several tables and chairs were set up, including one table loaded down with several different food items. Some of the people were in swimsuits, lounging around the in-ground pool a few feet away, and others were seated at the tables conversing. My boss came over with a jovial smile on his face and greeted us. _

_The scent of barbequing meat was thick in the air, and as I shook the hand offered, Stephanie's stomach let out a roar that would have put an angry lion to shame. Her face heated, and I had to bite my tongue not to burst out laughing. _

_My boss, Jamison Van Lightning, looked at her with wide eyes, stunned for a moment, before asking, "Can I get you something to snack on?"_

_Stephanie's face turned even redder, if that were possible, before she mumbled, "No thanks, I'm good."_

_Her stomach, as if it were bent on calling her out, let out another roar._

_Jamison, as he'd directed us to call him, smiled wide and leaned down to whisper, "It's all right, my dear. We have several guests that have requested something to tide them over till the main event."_

_She rolled her eyes, which caused Jamison to throw his head back in laughter. _

_A few more of the guys from the FBI joined us. Daniels, my current partner, grinned before asking, "Not keeping this gorgeous creature all to yourself, now are you, Jamison?"_

_Something about the attention didn't set well with Stephanie, and she moved closer to me, her small hand slipping into mine. _

_Before I could question her, Jamison's phone rang and he excused himself to answer it. He stepped away to take the call, but didn't go too far, so we were able to hear his conversation. When he mentioned the name Walter Dunphy, Stephanie tensed up. When Jamison re-joined us, I could tell by the look on his face that his mind was still on the call. _

_I could feel Stephanie's uneasiness, and after several minutes, she squeezed my hand. I looked down at her and she mouthed _"I'm sorry"_ before turning to my boss and demanding, "What about Walter Dunphy?"_

_Jamison's look was hard, matching his tone as he said, "That's not your concern, Miss Plum. Please enjoy the party."_

_Stephanie straightened, her hands on her hips, and sent him her best 'Burg-girl glare, as she called it. "Walter Dunphy happens to be my friend. So either you tell me what's going on, or I'll go ask him why the FBI would be interested in him."_

_Jamison smiled, but it wasn't a nice smile. "Are you aware I could have you arrested and held for an indefinite amount of time for interfering in FBI business?"_

_I couldn't help it. My eyes widened as I threw my head back, laughing outright. I knew the explosion that was coming, and although I should probably try to avoid it, I knew I didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of diffusing the situation._

_Jamison looked at me with a glower, but his attention was directed back to Stephanie a second later._

_She stepped forward, her hands still on her hips and the glare still on her face. "Yes, I'm aware that you can do that. Just like I'm aware that when I make my phone call, which you are required to allow me to have, that call will be to my father, Frank Plum. Have you heard of him? Or should I say, General Frank Plum, the head of Homeland Security's branch in Trenton, New Jersey. I'm sure he'll be thrilled that you've arrested his daughter for asking an innocent question."_

_Jamison's eyes widened again, and he had a deer caught in headlights expression on his face. Of course, he didn't get his job for being a yes man. He straightened himself up and said, "So I'm sure your father will understand my position when I tell him you're interfering in an ongoing investigation."_

_She shrugged. "Not really. See, I'm his best investigator. He'll probably ask why you didn't give me the information I needed to get to the bottom of this case."_

_Daniels whistled. "You're J?"_

_Stephanie bowed. "At your service."_

_Jamison looked at her with new respect. "Well now, why didn't you say that to begin with? Everyone in the Bureau knows about your legendary skills."_

_She gave him a serious look. "Does that get me the information I want?"_

_He nodded. "Seems Dunphy was picked up for possession. Our contacts in Trenton are trying to get him to give us some information. So far, he's not co-operating."_

_Stephanie snorted. "Of course you're getting nowhere. You're outsiders, and he won't trust you to have his best interest at heart. What information do you need?"_

_Jamison hesitated before telling her. She nodded and moved away to make a call. She came back a couple minutes later with the information the Bureau needed. As we talked some more, the fact that she'd actually been helping with the cases I'd been working came out, and instead of getting the lecture I figured I was due, I was complemented for a job well done._

Not long after, we'd been called to the table for dinner, and I'd watched with a smile on my face as all the guys had a devil of a time eating and sitting still with Stephanie's moans of pleasure as she ate her food. Several of the single guys had given me envious looks, but no one had put the moves on her. After all, they'd thought we were a couple.

**Stephanie's POV**

Once I reached my room, I stripped down as I made my way to the shower. For some reason, as I stood under the spray, I couldn't help but remember my first encounter with Kye. I'd never forget that late September day when I was racing to get to class on time and ran into the immovable force of my partner. From the minute I ran into the gentle giant, I'd instinctively trusted him.

He'd been dressed in form-fitting blue jeans, a dark green T-shirt, black cowboy boots, a black leather jacket, and a black Stetson. The clothes weren't new, but they'd been in much better condition than my own torn, faded blue jeans, navy blue T-shirt, and white Nike running shoes. The faded jean jacket that I'd been wearing was one I'd pilfered from Joe, so it had been quite big on me. It wasn't that I hadn't had the money to buy better clothes. It was just that it seemed to be a hangover from my childhood, I held onto my clothes until they were beyond wearing.

Kye didn't let me get away with living in denial land like I'd been doing since everything started with Dickie. I'd admired him immediately because he'd stood up to me and forced me to make the decision to visit the police about the whole deal, and it had turned out to be the right decision.

The detective had promised me he wouldn't let the case get buried, and he hadn't. Over the next six months, he'd worked diligently to get all the evidence on Dickie Orr that he'd needed to put my ex away for five years. He had video surveillance of Dickie placing notes on my bike, slashing my tires, running into my bike with a rented Hummer, and of course, when he arrested Dickie, the asshole had a gun he was threatening to kill me with. It helped with the sentencing that I was working for my dad as an investigator, and Detective Devon Morgan used the fact that Dickie was targeting a Homeland Security agent to make him a national security risk.

A lot changed for me in that short time, although it didn't seem so short at the time. Within hours of meeting Kye, I was moving in. The instant I walked into his apartment, the feeling that I'd finally come home was intense. I was relieved to get away from the amateurish security measures of the dorms and feel safe again, like I did living at home with my dad and stepmom.

As the soap hit the scrapes on my back and the cut on my arm, I hissed with pain. I shook myself out of my memories and hurried to finish washing up and then drying before I wrapped the towel around myself and headed out to let Kye doctor my injuries.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Lester's POV**

As I opened my eyes, my first thought was that someone was going to die. My gaze caught the bedside clock, and I realized that nearly ninety minutes had passed from what had transpired outside the club. I looked around, finding myself in the hotel room bed. The curtains were wide open, letting in a stream of light from the moon. If I remembered right, this was the room that I hadn't wanted because of the olive green walls and brown carpeting. Although it was done up nicely, it was too drab for my tastes, and I'd really wanted the red room. Man, now I was pissed, wondering who'd taken advantage of the fact that I couldn't argue over which room I wanted, saddling me with this one. I got out of bed, stripping down on my way to the shower. I turned the spray on full blast and let the hot water cascade over my naked form as I lifted my head to the ceiling.

My last conscious thought had been that I would spontaneously combust from the heat of Tina's mouth on mine. I'd been just about to kiss her back when the little imp stunned me. That was the only explanation for the sensations I'd felt.

I quickly washed up, then stepped out of the shower to dry off. I grabbed one of the outfits I'd brought with me—they were all basically the same, consisting of black cargos, a black T-shit, black combat boots, and a black utility belt, complete with weapons, which were, of course, all black.

A knock sounded on the door, and I called out, "Yeah, come ahead."

When the door opened, Hector peeked around. There was a shit-eating grin on his face as he said, "I see you're finally up, Sleeping Beauty."

I flipped him off. "Bite me."

There was a look of anticipation as he shot back, "I'd love to, _hermano_. But I don't think you swing that way."

I grinned. "You'd be right."

He jerked his head in the direction of the main room. "Ranger's waiting. We need to talk. There's been some chatter already, and we've only had Raje a few hours."

I lifted a hand. "I'll be there."

He backed out, shutting the door on his way out.

I looked at the arm that had come into contact with the stun gun. My thoughts went to the woman I'd spent the better part of the afternoon with. _Tina, Tina, Tina. Watch out, gorgeous. I owe you one, and I always make sure I pay people back when I owe them._ I had plenty of time to come up with a fitting way of evening the score. I was looking forward to this. But first, we had to take care of business.

I gathered up my gear that had been moved into this room and deposited it in the red room before going out to the sitting room, where the rest of the guys were hanging out. From the smirks on their faces, it was going to be a long time before I lived this one down.

Ranger didn't look any happier than I was feeling. I wondered if it had anything to do with the woman he'd had the run-in with at the bar.

I stopped when I got to the sofa and let myself fall onto the cushions. "What's up?"

Ranger turned to me, his blank look slamming down over his face. "Hector picked up some chatter between Raje's brother and some unknown. Too much was said that shouldn't have been, though. The only ones that had that information were the ones working the distraction."

Crap! That meant that someone had sold out the team. "Any idea who?"

His look darkened. "I don't know any of these people enough to trust them, except for Shep. I want some answers before morning. I'm going to demand a meeting between all the players from last night. I also want background on the woman that got Raje out of the bar."

"You think she's not what she claims?"

"I don't trust her."

Tank's deep, rumbly laughter filled the room. "You don't trust anything female, Rangeman."

Ranger turned to him with a fierce glare.

We all knew Ranger had reason not to trust the female of the species. I couldn't help putting my two cents worth in, though. "I wouldn't mind taking her for a spin. That is, if you're not interested."

Oh man! The look my cousin shot me would strip the bark off a tree. His voice was deadly soft as he said, "You won't."

I put my hands up in the air in surrender. No way I wanted that fucker pissed at me for a little teasing. I grinned. "No worries, cuz. I'm going to be too busy planning how to get that little witch, Tina, back for stunning me."

The guys laughed at that one—well, everyone but Ranger. There was an odd look on his face, and I wondered what he was thinking. We talked a bit longer, then Ranger called the constable, first asking how Shep was, then arranging a meeting that would include the team from the night before. He must have gotten an affirmative, because he said we'd be there the next morning at ten.

Sure enough, when he got off the phone, he went over to stand at one of the windows in our suite, looking out at the magnificent view before telling the rest of us, "We're meeting at ten. I suggest we get a good night's sleep so we're ready to go in the morning."

The rest of the guys stood and headed for their respective rooms.

Without missing a beat, Ranger said, "Leave it for another day, Les."

"All right. I'm here, though, if you need to talk."

"I know. I appreciate it, but I have this."

"I'll run the background check on her. If there's anything there, you know I'll find it. There's nobody better at this than I am."

He hesitated. A minute nod of his head let me know he was giving me the okay to get the information in any way necessary. I would have done that regardless, but this way, I knew I had his approval. He was obviously interested in this woman, so I didn't want any surprises coming our way. I stood, knowing he wanted to be left alone, so I made my way to the room I'd claimed earlier. I had some plotting of my own to do.

When I entered the bedroom, Woody wheeled, his gun out and ready.

I raised an eyebrow as I asked, "Get lost on your way to your room?"

He motioned to my bags on the bed. "I put you in the green room."

"Yeah, well, I put me back in this room."

"Come on, man! You know I hate green."

"Not my problem. You and Hector got here before the rest of us, and you had plenty of time to take another room."

"Ranger took my room."

I shrugged. "You should have picked the blue room. Tank wouldn't have thrown you out."

Woody's eyes narrowed as he stared at me for several seconds, then his eyes twinkled and he gathered his stuff. "Fine. I'll take the green room. Remember what they say about paybacks, though."

Once he left, I stripped off the clothes I'd put on not long before and climbed into bed in my natural state. I lay there thinking of all the ways I could make Tina pay for daring to stun me, as well as all the pleasure I'd reap from her endeavors. Although I didn't like the creep that worked the door, he did have one thing right. Tina would be one wild ride. I closed my eyes on that thought and sleep claimed me.

**Tina's POV**

It didn't take me long to get the bar cleaned up and everything put where it belonged. I was a bit worried about Cam and planned to stop by the hospital on my way home. I knew Stephanie would probably be sleeping by the time I got done, so I'd have to settle for calling Kye and asking him how she was doing.

It was as I was gathering up my bag that I noticed Henry was over in one of the darker areas of the club, and from the muttered voices, I knew someone else was with him. I quietly made my way as close as possible without alerting them that I was there. My spine stiffened and my hands balled into fists as I recognized Critter, one of Cam's men, standing with him.

It was in that second that Henry handed Critter a wad of notes. "You did your part, even though the prince got pinched. The king is willing to triple that if you can give him the info on where his brother is being taken."

As the two men shifted, I ducked behind a wall and held myself still, hoping and praying that neither of them had seen me.

Critter laughed. "It would be my pleasure. You'll have that little piece of news as soon as I know."

Both men made their way to the front exit, and they disappeared from sight.

I put my hand in my bag and wrapped it around the gun nestled there. I headed to the entrance and was relieved to see Jason sitting there in his taxi. I hurriedly locked the door and rushed over to get in the back seat.

Jason turned around, and immediately, the friendly smile that was on his face slipped as his gaze scanned the area around us. "What happened?"

I placed a shaky hand on the back of the seat in front of me and told him about the night, how Cam had been stabbed and taken to the hospital, how I'd used my stun gun to help Stephanie, and then finally, how I'd overheard the two men talking and what they'd said.

Jason's eyes narrowed. He looked into the rearview mirror and swore. "Bloody hell. Your bouncer Henry is back there in the doorway. It looks like he's looking this way."

"Shit! I can't go to Cam, then. What if they follow and do something to him while he's out?"

Jason's eyes met mine. "I'll take you to my place. It'll look like we are getting together for the night, and maybe he'll be put off."

I hesitated. "But that will put you in harm's way."

"I can take care of myself."

I pressed my lips together for a moment. "I know. We can get a hotel room. That way, they won't know where either one of us lives."

Jason grinned. "Good idea."

He turned around and headed us in the direction of the better hotels for this area. This would stretch my budget, but it was better than leading those men somewhere we didn't want them. I was glad Jason had agreed to this plan, because I didn't think I could take it if another person I cared about got hurt tonight. I appreciated his initial confidence. Stephanie always said the same thing: "I can take care of myself." I believed her, just like I knew Jason was a force to be reckoned with, but there was no sense in pushing things.

As Jason drove, I thought about how I'd come to meet Stephanie. I'd been accepted as a foreign exchange student at a college in the U.S. I was running because I'd had a late start, and when I walked into my first class, it was to find that all the seats were taken except for the one in the back next to Stephanie. I quickly slipped into the seat, hoping the professor hadn't noticed my arrival, but no such luck.

He'd turned to me, and in a falsely sweet voice, he'd asked, "Find our seat, did we?"

_I felt my cheeks flush at the slight, but before I could say anything, the girl beside me said, "No. She found her seat. We don't know where yours is."_

_The professor turned to her, a creepy look on his face, and said, "That will cost you, Plum."_

_He turned back to the front and walked over to his desk. _

_As he walked away from us, I had to clamp my hand over my mouth so I didn't break out laughing as the girl rolled her eyes and gave his disappearing back a finger wave. She turned to me and grinned. "I'm Stephanie. What's your name?"_

_I returned her grin. "Tina. Tina Shepherd."_

_Her eyes widened. "You're the girl from England."_

_My eyes widened as I wondered how she knew that. _

_She waved her hand in the air. "It's okay. With that accent, it's a bit obvious."_

_I frowned. "I have to tell you, I didn't appreciate that professor mocking me."_

_She looked up at the front, where our teacher was now standing watching us, and grimaced. "Watch your back with him. He gives me the creeps, the way he watches all the girls."_

_I followed her gaze. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Don't worry, though. My older brother is an Army Ranger, and he's taught me several little tricks, so I can take care of myself."_

_She looked at me funny, and I got the impression she knew more about me than I thought she should know, but something inside told me to trust her. I had a good feeling in my stomach, and I decided then and there I'd met a friend._

_After class, we walked out together, and she invited me for a cup of coffee. I readily agreed, and she led the way to a coffee house about ten minutes from the campus. I was a bit surprised, figuring we'd go to the cafeteria or a vending machine, but when I got my first sip of the liquid gold inside my cup, I was infinitely grateful we hadn't settled for what passed for coffee on campus._

_Over the next hour, we did a lot of talking—or rather, I did most of the talking, and she made a comment here and there. I told her how my mother was born in New Jersey and I'd always wanted to see the area where she'd grown up. That's why I'd jumped at the chance to be an exchange student. Of course, that led to my telling her about Cam and his phone call that morning from wherever he was stationed at the moment. I told her I'd miss all the classes I had to in order to be able to talk to my brother. I missed him terribly. He was the only family I had left, since my parents had been killed in a car crash eighteen months before._

_By the time we left the coffee house, Stephanie and I were fast friends. She turned to me and asked, "Where are you staying?"_

_I shrugged. "I'm going this afternoon to meet with the house mother. She'll show me the dorm room that will be my new home for the next several months."_

_She pursed her lips. "How would you feel about moving in with Kye and me?"_

_I felt my cheeks heat. "I wouldn't want to intrude on you and your boyfriend."_

_She threw her head back and laughed. I glared at her, which had her laughing even harder. Finally, she took pity on me and explained. "Kye is a great friend and big brother substitute, but he's not my boyfriend. He's gay." Her eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't have a problem with that, would you?"_

"_I didn't mean to make a bodge of things. I've got nothin' against being friendly with a gay person."_

_Stephanie looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. I thought back over what I'd said. I couldn't think what I could have possibly said to have her looking at me that way. _

_I could see the wheels turning in her mind as she thought over what I'd just said. After a couple of minutes, there was a glint of understanding in her eyes. "Bodge means make a mess of things?"_

_I chuckled. "I never realized English could be a foreign language of sorts."_

_She smiled. "We can educate each other. You can teach me how to speak your English, and I'll return the favor and teach you how to speak mine."_

_I held my hand out. "Deal. And I'd like to meet your friend. If you don't think he'd mind another roommate, I think I'd like to share a place."_

Over the next school year, I'd moved in with her and Kye, and the three of us became fast friends. It didn't take me long to recognize that Stephanie had a brilliant mind. She worked hard for her four point oh average, and she played equally hard. There were no dates with other men, though. She would go out with Kye and myself, but she always turned down the numerous guys that asked her out. When I mentioned it, she got quiet. Then, after a bit, she told me about her childhood. It was easy to see that what had happened then was still affecting her.

That night, after we'd talked about her childhood, I'd gone into my room and turned the radio on slightly louder than I normally would, and I'd cried myself to sleep. I'd cried for the little girl that was treated in such a way by her own mother.

It was as the two of us were nearing graduation that Stephanie had told Kye and me about her own job offer with the FBI. That's when I'd learned that she was working as an investigator for Homeland Security.

I'd given her a funny look and said, "When I filled out the application to be able to come here, there was a background search done on me. I got the feeling that the person who checked me out even knew the color of my knickers."

Her eyes had lit up and she'd pursed her lips. "Uhm…red."

I'd looked at her, stunned. "Blimey! How the bloody hell do you know that?"

She'd shrugged innocently.

I'd slumped down in my seat. Before I could get too withdrawn into myself, she'd placed her hand on my forearm and leaned over to say, "It's okay. No one else knows the things I do. I only gave them the relevant information. I'll show you a few tricks to keep things more private."

So it was on graduation day that I'd said goodbye to my two best friends and gotten on a plane for England. When Stephanie called me and told me she'd be coming to my neck of the woods on a case, I'd insisted they bunk with me. Once the case ended and the offer of a more permanent position was put out there, I'd gotten them into the open flat one floor down from mine. Just like when I'd gone to the States and Stephanie had helped me to become more Jersey-girl, I'd helped her to become more British and blend in so the people she was after wouldn't know she wasn't a natural-born Brit.

I was brought back to the present by Jason opening my door. I looked up into his eyes.

He nodded. "Ready to play our parts?"

I nodded, and we headed into the hotel.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Stephanie's POV**

_I'd been living in the tree house for about three weeks when Joe brought me a copy of the evening paper. There was a picture of my dad on the front page, and he was asking anyone that had information on my whereabouts to please come forward. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I realized Joe had been right after all and Daddy wasn't dead like my mother had said. _

"_I think I should bring him over here so you can tell him what your mom's been doing to you when he's not here."_

_I shook my head. "What if he doesn't believe me? She always puts everything back in the room when she knows he's coming home."_

_Joe put his hand on my shoulder. "What do you mean, she puts everything back in the room?"_

_I looked up at my friend and told him, "When Daddy leaves, she comes in and takes everything out of my room except my clothes, a sleeping bag, and a container I have to use when I go to the bathroom. There's no light or anything. I have to go there as soon as I get home from school, and a while later, Val brings me a sandwich and glass of water. I get real sleepy after I eat the sandwich and usually fall asleep until Val calls me to get ready for school the next day."_

_Joe's eyes widened. He looked angry all of a sudden, and I was afraid he was mad at me. As if he sensed what I was feeling, he gently touched my cheek. "It's not you I'm mad at. It's your mom."_

_My lip quivered. "She told me if I ever told, she'd sell me to some bad men, and they'd know what to do with a whore." _

_I flinched at the look that crossed his face. His eyes narrowed. "What about Val? Why does she go along with this and not say anything to your dad?"_

"_Mother told her if she did, she'd do worse than leaving me locked in a mausoleum for hours. By the time they found me, I wouldn't be her problem anymore." _

_He swallowed hard. "When did she do that?"_

"_I was four. My aunt Eunice died, and Mother took Val and me to the funeral. She had Val go through the door before her, and when I went to follow, she shut the door on me, locking me in. I was so scared. It seemed like forever before my daddy came to get me. He had meetings that day, and when he asked where I was, she said she didn't know. Val said she hadn't seen me since the funeral service."_

"_And he didn't figure your mom out then?"_

_I shook my head. "She told him she was taking some kind of medicine that made her forgetful. He called the doctor and was told she was prescribed a pill to help her sleep and there were some side effects from the pill."_

_Joe wrapped his arms around me and held me as the tears flowed. _

Racking sobs filled the room, and a light was suddenly flipped on. A pair of warm arms pulled me close, and it was Kye's gentle tone I heard whispering words of comfort. It wasn't surprising that with everything that had happened tonight, I was plagued with dreams of the past. This wasn't the first time Kye had come to my rescue in the middle of the night.

I clung to him, hungry for human touch. So far, the only ones to breach the barrier I'd put in place to the outside world were my dad, Joe, and Kye. Some days, I wondered if I could ever get past what had happened in my childhood. I refused to let that monster keep me down, though.

I relaxed, listening to him croon to me in a language I'd sometimes heard before, but didn't understand. When I'd had one of these dreams, for some reason, that seemed to be what got through to me quicker than anything else.

When I was totally relaxed, he moved, and I knew he was getting ready to go back to his own room. I placed my palm on his bare chest and whispered, "Please… Stay with me."

I felt the brush of a tender kiss, and then he told me to lie down and he would stay with me the rest of the night. I did as he asked and felt comforted as he slipped into bed beside me. I felt totally secure sleeping with Kye. I closed my eyes and let sleep claim me once more.

Hours later, I was jolted awake by the blaring of the alarm clock. I jerked, hissing in pain as my back and arm protested the quick movement.

There was a rumbling below me, and I opened my eyes to see that Kye was lying on his back, with me on my stomach on top of him. I lifted my head and looked down at him with a glare.

He grinned. "I tried waking you up, but you were determined to get as much sleep as possible. How about if you go get your shower so I can doctor your wounds when you get done?"

I eased myself from on top of him and headed to the bathroom. It didn't take long to shower. I wrapped my hair in a towel to give Kye better access to my back and left arm. Wrapping a towel around my naked body, I moved into the bedroom. He was setting the antiseptic cream and bandages on the nightstand as I entered.

He motioned to the bed, and I lay down on my front so he'd be able to get to the scrapes. Although I tried not to, the hisses of pain slipped out anyway. When he finished, he said, "I'd suggest a loose-fitting, dark T-shirt, and skip the bra."

I sighed. "We're going to have to go to the embassy today, and you know I don't like Critter. The man gives me the creeps on a good day. If I don't wear a bra, he'll be like a rabid dog."

Kye's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'll convince him not to bother you."

"And what happens the next time I run into him when you aren't there? I'll be okay. I'll just use one of the front-fastened bras, and everything will be fine."

"It's your call. But just so you know, I'd love to shove my fist down his throat for what he did to Bear."

I frowned. "Everyone wants to shove their fists down his throat for that one. Have you heard anything from Bear recently?"

Kye shook his head. "No. He wanted to start over, with no reminders of his life here. I told him I would respect his wishes."

I twisted so I could look up at him. There was a sad expression on his face. I touched the hand that was inches away from me and asked, "Are you okay?"

His gaze met mine. "I will be. I really thought we had a chance at a good life. A lot of the guys seemed accepting of Bear's sexual orientation, which makes what Critter did all the worse. I know he said it was a slip of the tongue and he didn't mean to tell those neo-Nazi's about Bear being gay, but I find it hard to believe him. Especially when he did nothing to help Bear get away from them."

I nodded. "I know. I think there's something off about Critter, but I have no proof. I'm just sorry that he screwed up your happy ever after. You and Bear were good together. I'm sorry that you couldn't let everyone know that the two of you were a couple. I feel bad, like maybe I screwed up your chances because you were letting everyone think we were a couple to protect me."

Kye let out a low growl. "That bastard didn't even wait till Bear had left town before making a pass at me—whether because he was really interested in me or merely testing the waters to see if I was Bear's partner. There are only a few people over here that know we aren't really a couple. Most of the guys think you and I are a hot item. Critter seems to have more information than he should."

I nodded. "I could do a search on him."

I could see by the look on Kye's face that he was having an argument with himself as to whether to tell me to go for it or not. I didn't say anything, but I planned to do the search regardless.

He must have come to that conclusion as well, because he smiled and said, "I hope you find something that will allow me to put my fist to good use."

We both laughed, and he left so I could get dressed for the meeting we would have with our boss later that morning.

It was nearly an hour later that we parked our bikes in the back lot of the U.S. Embassy and made our way toward the back entrance. It was a beautiful day, temperatures in the mid-sixties, sun shining high in the sky, and there was a cool, gentle breeze blowing in the air. You could smell the scent of the ocean mixed with the floral scent from the flowers near the embassy. This was my favorite time of the year—spring, when everything cold and dark was transformed by the sun into something new and beautiful.

Kye and I made our way to the head constable's office. We were running a bit late, but the boss was a pretty understanding bloke, unless some upshot had his knickers in a twist and the old man had to put on a show.

As we neared the third floor office, I got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Experience had taught me that that never ended well. I put my hand on Kye's forearm as a warning that we needed to be prepared for anything when we entered the office.

Kye gave a firm rap on the door, and at the muffled "Enter" we heard, he turned the knob and opened the door.

We stepped into the room, and I came to a sudden stop, causing Kye to run into my back. I hissed in pain, although I tried to hold it in. A hand rested on my shoulder, and I tilted my head up, giving my friend and partner a weak smile.

After he shut the door, he led us to the only seats open in the room.

I felt surrounded. Shep—who didn't seem to be able to meet my eyes—along with the rest of our team, as well as the head constable, were all accounted for, plus there were five other alpha males packed inside the room. Three of them I remembered from the night before: the big black man from the bar, the man I'd had the run-in with, and the man that had been behind the bar with Tina.

I remembered her stunning the man, and a smile slipped to the corner of my mouth. There was also the man that had checked on him; he was smaller than the others, with two tears tattooed under his right eye. There was another man in the room, tall and built like the others. When they were handing out looks and testosterone, these guys all got triple doses. They were gorgeous. That didn't mean they were nice, though, if my encounter with the one who seemed to be in charge was anything to go by.

Constable Barneynodded his head in our direction. "A, J, come in and be seated. We were just getting ready to go over what happened last night and what might have gone wrong. Do the two of you have any ideas?"

I let the conversation I'd had with Raje the night before go through my mind as I took my seat. I took the one against the wall next to the big black man and left Kye to sit next to the ass that I'd had the run-in with. I looked over at my friend and partner, and at his raised eyebrow, I looked around the room, letting my gaze land on Critter briefly before moving to Barney. "Raje knew why we were there."

Barney frowned. "Any idea how he would have known?"

I caught a slight movement out of the corner of my eye and had a feeling I knew exactly how he'd known we were there to pinch him. I shrugged though and said, "Not a clue."

"All righty, then. Make a list of players, and I'll have Penelope down in skip tracing run them. Maybe she can come up with something the rest of us didn't."

I caught another movement from the corner of my eye and decided that I would do a little digging on my own as well. Not giving anything away as to what I was thinking, I merely nodded and replied, "I'll head down there as soon as we're done here."

"Good, good. Now, I can't stress enough how important it is for us to make sure this bloody bastard is off the streets for good. To that end, we've agreed to co-operate with the Americans. They've taken charge of Prince Raje and will use him to bring his brother, the king, out into the open."

I frowned, still pissed that my collar had been pinched by someone else. I'd done a lot of work on this one, and to get the credit taken out of my hands by someone else didn't set well. I was the one being put in the greatest danger, I deserved the credit for it.

Shep spoke up. "I've been bloody sidelined. Doc isn't letting me work in the field till this knife wound has healed."

I glanced down at my left arm that I had conveniently covered up with a long-sleeved, over-sized, thin blouse. There was no way I was being sidelined for a few bumps and scrapes. I'd had a hell of a lot worse over the years and still managed to get the job done.

Stitch spoke up for the first time. "Constable has put me in charge of the operation. If we could go through everything together, you'd still have a foot in the door, so to speak."

Shep grinned. "That'd be bloody marvelous, mate."

It was then the constable said, "Of course, the person in charge of the entire operation is Mr. Manoso here. My men will be charged with the actual arresting of the king, making sure all our laws are followed, and then Mr. Manoso will take the king with him back to America."

My eyes narrowed, and I couldn't help but slide a glance in the direction of this Mr. Manoso. Of course, wouldn't you know it was the ass I'd run into last night.

I felt the electrical charge at the back of my neck and lifted my gaze to see that he was looking my way with a raised eyebrow. When our eyes met, his look turned mocking, and the bastard had the nerve to wink. _Grrr!_ I wanted to smack that smug look of his face in the worst way. I gave him one of my patented glares and turned back to the constable.

It wasn't long after that we were dismissed. Constable called out to me as I was about ready to follow Kye. I gave my partner a quick glance, and he jerked his head to the hallway, so I knew he'd be waiting for me out there.

Once the others had left, Barney smiled gently. "I'm sorry, kiddo. I know you wanted the collar for that one. If it were up to me, I would have told them to take a bloody leap off a short pier."

I shrugged. "I understand, sir."

He sighed. "All right. Before I let you go, I need to ask you to take the Americans under your wing and help them out. You know our laws and how to work them to advantage. I need you working with them on this one. Both you and A. Understood?"

I bit down on the inside of my cheek so I wouldn't say something that would get me in hot water. I gave a slight nod and turned to go. I kept a tight rein on my actions so no one would be the wiser that I was royally torked off.

Once I stepped into the hallway, I closed the office door and glance around to see where Kye was. I wasn't thrilled to see him squared off against the Hispanic man with the two tear drops under his eye.

I quickly made my way over to them, placing my hand on Kye's arm. My smile didn't reach my eyes as I asked, "What's going on, mate?"

Kye took a deep breath before turning to me. He smiled. "Not a bloody thing, love. Let's get going, shall we? We have a lot of work to get done before we can get this operation off the ground."

I winced. "Yeah, about that." I turned to Mr. Manoso. "Constable asked us to work with you on this one. We have some stuff to take care of, but if you could let us know where you're staying, I'll knock you up."

Manoso's eyes dilated, and there was a heated expression on his face as he moved so that we were nearly touching and leaned down till he was a whisper away. "I believe that's my line, Babe. However, you might want to wait till someone shows interest the next time. Not everyone is willing to go with what's easy to have. Some of us are more discerning."

I felt the blood leave my face as my mother's words resounded in my mind. _Whore! You're nothing but a whore!_

I moved quickly to the ladies room and made it just in time to toss my cookies. When it was over, I washed up and leaned against the cool wall as I fought back memories.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Tank's POV**

We were leaving the building when I felt a vibration, telling me I had a phone call. I pulled out my cell and grinned as I looked at the caller ID. Connecting the call, I said, "Hello, Mama Bear. How you doing?"

Her laugh did things to a man. "I'm doing? How much longer you gonna be over there?"

"We have the bait. Now we just have to set the trap and reel in the real rat."

"Well, you be careful."

"I will. We'll be working with some agents here."

"Oh ya? You meet up with J yet?"

I stilled. That was the little bit that Ranger had the run-in with at Whiskey Mist and then again today. Whatever he'd said to her had sent her running like she'd been scalded. I'd known Ranger for years, and he could make you feel like your skin had been stripped from your body with just a look. His words could cut you to ribbons. Neither one of those was as lethal as his physical skills in taking out an enemy.

"You know J, Mama Bear?"

"Tankie, don't you remember I was telling you all about my friend that worked for the FBI and living in England?"

I did now. Lula had told me quite a bit about her friend over the past few years. The first time she'd brought her up was when I'd taken her to a Rangeman party. Lula was convinced that her friend would be perfect for Ranger.

I closed my eyes for a moment and let loose a chuckle. "They met. As a matter of fact, they can't stand each other."

There was a pause on the other end. "Are you sure you're seeing right? I can't buy that."

"The sparks fly between them, but they're sparks of animosity."

She snorted. "They just gots to get ta know each other, and everything will be fine. You know what you gotta do, Tankie poo. Hey! Does that guy you know still run the Eye?"

Oh man! I knew where this was going, and it was no place I wanted to be. I wanted to tell Lula that no, he didn't, but I couldn't lie to her. Even with her thousands of miles away, she'd know I was lying in a heartbeat.

As if to re-enforce that thought, Lula sighed. "Don't even think about it. You know what I want you to do. You gotta arrange it."

"Mama Bear, are you trying to get me killed?"

"You'll be fine. Ranger will thank you someday when he and Steph are married and have babies of their own."

Crap! There was no reasoning with Lula when she was in this mood. The only thing I could do was to give in. "All right. But you remember that if Ranger finds out, he won't just come after me."

She sounded breathless, and it sounded like she was fanning herself with a magazine. "Now, don't you worry about me. This will all work out."

I disconnected the call and moved to catch up with the others. I wasn't sure if it was the call or my imagination taking hold, but Ranger seemed to be giving me a look like he knew what I was planning and I needed to stop now before someone got hurt.

I shook off the feeling and got into the front passenger seat. We headed back to the hotel suite, and Ranger brought out the case with our laptops in it. We each had a task to do, and it was time to get down to business. Now this was something I could get into.

I'd been working for the better part of the morning, gathering intel on the king. I was getting a lot of information, but it was like looking through mud to find a diamond. The key was to find something useful, but no one knew him well enough to be able to predict his reactions.

I heard swearing and glanced up from my seat at the table. Lester had just handed Ranger a printout, and the boss man was not happy. I'd never seen him expend that much energy on anything, so whatever it was had to be big. I knew he'd tell the rest of us if he wanted us to know, so I went back to what I was doing.

I'd been working about an hour this time when I was distracted by the sound of a knock on the door. When it sounded again, I glanced up to see if anyone else was going to answer the door. The others were all involved in what they were doing—or maybe they were pretending because they didn't want to be the one to let bad news into the room.

I stood, moving my head side to side and stretching. Once I had the kinks worked out, I went to answer the door and groaned when I opened it to see J standing there with a fierce scowl on her face.

For some reason, I got the image of a little girl putting on a brave face for the world. Instead of being my usual gruff self, I gentled my tone, asking, "Now what brings you here, little girl?"

Oh man! Wrong thing to say.

"I was told I had to work with you blokes on this case. I told Mr. Manoso that I'd knock him up."

Ranger called out, "Who is it, Tank?"

I stepped back and motioned for her and her partner to come in. The growl behind me told me that Ranger was aware of exactly who was at the door.

I figured it was up to me to diffuse the situation, so I smiled and held out my hand. "I'm Tank. Come in and meet the rest of the guys."

She looked down at my hand, then lifted her eyes till she was looking right at me, as if she were weighing whether or not she could trust me. She shook my hand and replied, "I'm J, and this is my partner, A."

I kinda knew that, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings. If Mama Bear found out I'd hurt J's feelings, my name would be mud. I turned around and led the way into our suite of rooms, and my eyes locked with Ranger's.

_Shit_! Ranger was giving me _the look_.

After eight years in the Army Rangers, we knew each other like brothers. In many ways, these guys _were_ my brothers. We may have different blood running through our veins, but we'd been forged together by the missions we'd worked.

The look Ranger was giving me was the one he reserved for the enemy: cold, hard, ruthless, and deadly. I knew if we weren't so close, I'd be a dead man before nightfall.

As if sensing the danger in the room, J stopped moving forward and instead moved closer to A. There was a man with moxy.

Yesterday, when he went toe to toe with Hector, I'd been impressed.

_Hector commented, "That little white girl needs to be more aware of her surroundings. She could have gotten herself killed and fucked everything up in the process."_

_A stepped into Hector's space, his face grim as he said, "J has more talent in her little finger than you have in your whole body. She's a bloody marvel, and you're lucky she's on the team."_

"_One day, her luck will run out."_

"_J doesn't need luck to handle herself. She's a damn good agent. She can handle anything that's thrown at her."_

_Hector sneered, "If that bartender hadn't come out when she did, your agent would be in the morgue right now."_

_A stepped closer, his eyes narrowed. "You sound disappointed that's not what happened,_ mate_."_

_Hector's gaze moved to Ranger, and I saw the minuscule shake of the head directed at Hector. He shrugged. "I don't know her well enough to think one way or the other."_

"_Bloody marvelous. Then keep your mouth shut. J's not only a great agent, but she's got freakin' uncanny skills. I'd take her into any fight and be grateful to have her."_

_Hector resorted to his native Spanish as he mumbled, "She'll get you dead that way."_

_The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Before either of them could say any more, the woman in question chose that moment to join us in the hallway._

I couldn't believe my ears when she'd told Ranger she'd knock him up. I wasn't close enough to hear what he'd said, but the paling of her face and her quick departure to the restroom was enough of a hint for me to know it wasn't good.

Whatever it was, we had to find a way for all of us to work together.

**Stephanie's POV**

It didn't take Kye and me long to get to the swanky Park Plaza County Hall Hotel. I showed my badge downstairs, and they were more than happy to direct me to the penthouse suite where the Americans were staying. I had to knock twice as we waited for the door to be answered. When it was finally opened, the big black man from the nightclub invited us in, introducing himself as Tank.

My attention was diverted as we entered. From the look on Mr. Manoso's face, he didn't look happy. I doubted he was any happier about working together than I was. I let my gaze take in the other men in the room.

The man Kye had had words with earlier was standing near the window.

There were two other men in the room as well. The one sitting on the sofa, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, looked like he'd just stepped out of a Western movie. He was seated so it was harder to judge how tall he was, but at a guess, I'd say he'd be similar to Kye in both height and build.

The other man was the one from behind the bar at Whiskey Mist. He was leaning against the counter in the kitchenette. He was mid-way between Manoso's height and Tank's, and he was gorgeous. There were enough similarities between him and Manoso that I wondered again if they might be related.

Once Tank introduced himself, I responded by introducing Kye as Agent A.

Hearing myself introduce him in that way made me think about the day he'd been dubbed with that title, shortly after he'd joined the FBI. Deciding that the nickname would act as a way for him to keep his personal life private, he'd accepted the label. No one knew his real name, except for me and a select few, of course. The same went for me. I'd been J ever since I joined the agency.

Not wanting to break up their best team, those in charge of the office near Rutgers decided to continue to let Kye and me partner each other when I joined the agency. We had an excellent track record, and no one wanted to mess with what they considered perfection.

When the American Embassy sent out the SOS for help on a case they were working, we'd been transplanted here to London. The results were such that the queen herself had requested we remain in the country and continue in the same vein as we'd been operating.

Kye had been getting over a bad breakup and had been happy to be able to avoid returning to the States, and I'd been thrilled with the opportunity to start over where no one knew anything about my past. I liked the anonymity that living here gave me. Plus, it gave us the opportunity to take Tina up on her offer to show us the real London.

My thoughts were interrupted as Tank went on to introduce the others in the room. He had a deep, booming voice, but I got the impression he usually wasn't the talker of the group.

He smiled, as if to put me at ease. "The man by the window is Hector. He takes care of our electronics and surveillance equipment. Woody's sitting there on the sofa. He's an expert in languages, as well as an extraction master. Lester's there at the counter. He's a man of all trades, proficient as a master marksman. As I told you, I'm Tank. I'm known for my size and strength. Then there's our leader. The constable introduced him as Mr. Manoso, but he prefers to be called Ranger. He's a master tactician as well as having a host of other skills."

I looked at each man in turn. As they were introduced, their gaze met mine, and overall, I got the impression that these men were the cream of the crop. They were the best in their line of work, even though Manoso rubbed me up the wrong way. He might be good at his job, but he was an ass, as far as I was concerned.

I motioned to Kye. "A and I will be the front team on this operation. Shep will take what we learn and make a plan of action. One thing you need to remember… One of the English team needs to make the actual arrest, or we won't have a leg to stand on."

I felt the animosity stemming from Manoso. He was looking at me with his icy cold stare. His head moved in a micro millimeter of a nod. I took that as his agreement.

Tank let a sigh escape, glared briefly at the man he called Ranger, and then turned back to me. "Would you like to sit down?"

I caught the lethal glare that was sent Tank's way, but the bigger man ignored it.

I turned to Kye. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he stepped forward so he was beside me. "Actually, we can't stay long. We basically came by to touch base and let you know we were getting set to collect the intel. Once we have that ready, we'll stop again so we can chat you up."

Ranger deigned to speak for the first time. "I don't think so. My men will be working with you. I'm sure your constable told you that I'm in charge of the overall operation. We do things my way." He turned so his gaze was on Kye. "A, is it? You and Woody will gather the intel."

Kye threw his head back and laughed. "Nothing like cutting off your nose to spite your face, mate. J is the one you want gathering intel. No one does it better."

Ranger shrugged. "Maybe. But you and Woody are the ones I'm putting on it. Your friend here is being sidelined till I get verification that she can handle the job. From what I've seen so far, I'm not holding my breath that it's going to happen."

I forced myself not to react. If this jerk wanted to play this game, then I was ready. I had a feeling they were going to delve into my background. If he didn't find what he wanted, I wouldn't be allowed near the case. What this bozo didn't know was that I didn't need his permission to work the case. The head constable had given the order, and now, whether Mr. Tighty Whitey liked it or not, I was on the team.

Kye went to say something, but I rested my hand on his forearm. I knew he'd caught on to what I was thinking when he just shrugged and remained silent.

Ranger went on to say, "You'll take Woody around to all the places you need to visit to get us the intel we need. He'll report back to me. Once we get what we need, we'll have a meeting and set up the operation."

Woody stood and moved over to where we were standing. His voice was deep and there was the hint of a southern drawl as he spoke, "I'll follow you to wherever you're dropping your friend here off at, and then we can take the rental car around the city."

Ranger butted in to say, "Negative. We don't have time for that. The two of you will leave from here, and we'll make sure she gets where she needs to go."

He was standing so close to where I was, and the imp inside me was having visions of kicking him in the shin. He must have ESP, because before I could act, he stepped back out of reach.

I put my hands on my waist and lifted my gaze till it met his. "I'm right here, and I don't appreciate people talking about me while I'm in the room. I'm perfectly capable of getting myself home, if that's where I choose to go. Since you are in effect telling me you don't want my help, I have other things I can be doing. I'd wish you well, but I really do wish you'd fall on your ass."

With that, I turned and stormed out of the hotel room. I was so mad, I ran down the five flights of stairs and didn't stop till I was on my bike, making my way back toward the area where I knew Raje had been hanging out lately. Just because Manoso was being an ass, it wasn't going to stop me from doing my job. For one, Kye was a part of this case, and I had no intention of letting something happen to him because Manoso refused to be a decent human being. I had no intention of letting my friend get hurt because some bloody idiot refused to listen to reason.

Twenty minutes later, I'd raced my bicycle to the area of town where I knew Kye and Woody would be canvasing for information. I removed my helmet and pads, and as I set my gear on the bike, I took a look at the area. This was the part of London where the common poor lived. The buildings housing the flats were overrun with vermin, both human as well as non-human. There were signs on doors letting everyone know that this area was Lords territory. They were a local gang with the insignia of a huge skull and cross-bones with flames surrounding it.

After a couple of minutes canvasing, I headed out to start getting some answers.

I noticed a little girl of about seven or eight playing with a doll on the steps leading up to a row of flats. She was a cute little thing, reminding me of Val's oldest, Angie. She had curly light brown hair with a hint of red running through it, emerald green eyes, and a heart-shaped little face with a smattering of freckles. I stopped beside her and smiled.

She looked up at me with solemn brown eyes and asked, "Are you a stranger? I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

"Ah. I see. But you're talking to me, love. I must not be a stranger."

She tilted her head to the side. "I've seen you around here before."

The last time I was in this part of London was three weeks ago when we were investigating Raje's movements. The Royals had just given the word that he was persona non grata and, if we found him, to take him in like any commoner. We'd had a tip that he'd been seen in this neighborhood, and Kye and I had come to check it out. "You remember me from then?"

She nodded her head, but made no further comment. Before I could ask her anything else, the door opened and a woman stepped out. She was an older version of the child, but there was an air about her that gave one the impression she'd given up on life being what she wanted it to be. She frowned at me before placing a hand on the little girl and saying, "Go in the house, Alice. I'll be right in."

Without a word, the girl did her bidding. Once the door had closed behind her, the woman turned to me and asked, "Who are you and what do you want?"

I gave the woman a smile, which seemed to put her slightly at ease. Then I showed her the badge that I carried and held out my hand. "I'm Agent J with the Queen's Royal Police. I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you have a moment."

What questions I had for her, I as yet didn't have a clue. Some instinct was telling me I needed more information from the child. To get that information without scaring her was the next order of business.

After hesitating for a few seconds, the woman in front of me gave a brisk nod and said, "Let's go inside. My name is Millicent. I think it's really Alice you're wanting to talk to. She seems to know too much, if you know what I mean. I keep telling her that people don't like her staring at them, but she doesn't always listen to me. Take last week, when Henry was here visiting with his friend, the prince. Little Miss had to be close to hand and soak up everything they were saying.

My spidey sense was in full force. Ever since I was little, I would get feelings about things. I'd found it was best to listen, rather than ignore the feeling. Since I'd joined the FBI, it had become so tuned into what I was working on that it often saved me a lot of extra hassle, and on a few occasions, it had saved my life.

I carefully schooled my face so as not to give anything away. Hopefully, I could get some more information that way.

The sound of running feet was followed by Alice racing into the room. She came to a skidding halt in front of me and looked up at her mother. When her eyes turned back to me, she grinned and held out her little hand. "Hello. I've never had a visitor before. Would you like to come to my room and meet Gregory?"

Millicent shuddered. I prayed I wasn't letting myself in for something gross and followed her. She led the way to a room done in Pepto-Bismol pink and offered me a seat on the bed.

I sat down, and she quickly hopped up beside me, siting with her legs crossed, facing me. She rested her elbows on her legs, with her chin supported by her hands. "Will you be taking Henry away? I know Mum likes him, but he really creeps me out, especially since he brought the prince to stay with us. Henry likes to hurt Mummy. She says we can't say anything to the black rats that walk by here, though, because they'll put me in a home and put her in goal."

I frowned, wondering why her mother thought that the beat cops would put her in jail. "How long has the prince been here?"

She shrugged her little shoulders and did a palms-up gesture. "I've been adding markers to my slate every day that he's still here. I got to twenty-one yesterday, and then we got lucky last night and he never came back. I heard Henry telling my mummy the prince got pinched last night. He made a call, and I think he called the person on the other end Your Highness." She rolled her eyes, and I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. I know I was credited with teaching that move to every woman that worked in our offices, and this little imp came by it naturally. She leaned in, as if what she were telling me was a big secret. "The prince always wanted us to call him that."

I casually asked, "Did Henry say anything else?"

She grimaced. "When he got off the phone, he caught me listening in. Told me I'd better shut it unless I wanted some of what the prince did to my mum." She shuddered. "It scares me when he hits my mum. The last time, I didn't think he was going to stop."

I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I had to make sure Millicent got Alice out of here before company arrived. We talked a bit more about conversations Alice had heard. When I stood, she looked at me expectantly.

"Would you like to meet Gregory?"

I smiled down at her and replied, "Sure." I mean, really, how bad could it be?

She slid off the bed and walked over to the glass cage on the dresser. She tapped on the glass, and the biggest, baddest rat I'd ever seen came scampering out. I managed not to scream…barely.

"Want me to take him out?"

"Uh… no, I think we're good on him staying in there."

She giggled. "The prince didn't like him either. He hit my cheek one night while I was holding Gregory, and Gregory crawled up his leg and bit him in his boy area. I think it ruined his plans a bit, because he was really mad that he had to wait almost two weeks to go to the club where Henry works."

Another interesting bit of information. I smiled at Alice and said, "Thank you for talking to me. I'll be in touch."

I left her in her room and went in search of Millicent. She was in the kitchen, sitting at the table and drinking a cup of tea. When I entered, she looked up with a knowing look on her face.

"You have a very bright daughter. Is there someplace the two of you could go for a couple of days?"

"She told you about our visitor, didn't she?"

I nodded.

Millicent sighed. "I suppose I could take her to my parents' house in Kent. We haven't been there since she was a wee babe."

"Will Henry be able to follow you there?"

A bitter laugh rent the air. "Henry and I met nearly a year ago. He's been living with us for the past ten months. He has no clue where I come from. If he knew…" There was a haunted look in her eyes.

Deciding to let that lie for another time, I brought her attention back to the matter at hand. "How soon can you leave?"

She shrugged. "When Henry goes to work tonight. If I'm not here when he comes by before he goes to the club, he'll know something is up, and that won't give us enough time to get away before he realizes we're gone. I can't be sure, but I think he has a policeman or two in his pocket." She pulled out a key ring and removed one of the keys before handing it to me. "I'm authorizing you to check out my apartment anytime you'd like."

I nodded. "We'll need it in writing and notarized."

She smiled. "I'll have it for you before the day's out. I hope you catch whoever you're after; bastards, the lot of them."

We stood, and she walked me toward the back door. As I passed the china hutch with little corner shelves on the sides, I noticed several photos on display. I stopped to look at them more closely. My eyes widened on the third photo in, and I leaned closer to get a better look. Holy frac. I straightened and was careful not to give anything of what I was thinking away as I continued on with Millicent to the door.

"Thank you for all your help." I handed her my card. "Call me if there's any way I can help you."

She nodded.

I took another look around as I moved from the building. For some reason, all the hair on the back of my neck was standing on end. There was a low-slung black Porsche parked beside my bike. The windows were tinted, and there was no way to see inside the vehicle. I put my hand on my gun and slowly made my way forward, making sure I kept all possible exits in view. I'd nearly reached my bike when I felt the hand on my arm, and I tensed, ready to swing into action.

Strong arms wrapped around me, and I was unable to move. The pain in my back and forearm was bad, but it wouldn't account for the little black dots that clouded my vision. I got one clear look at my attacker's face before the lights went out, and I felt myself falling as blackness claimed me.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Ranger's POV**

Once Agent J stormed out, Woody and the other agent, A, headed out to gather the information we needed if this was going to work. I walked over to the window and stood there staring out at the city. There was a magnificent view, but I wasn't paying any attention to the scenery outside the window. Instead, my thoughts were turned inward on the conversation I'd just had with Lester. He'd tried every route imaginable and couldn't get any information on Agent J. As a matter of fact, in the end, he'd been shut down by Homeland Security.

I was left with more questions than answers regarding her, and I wasn't happy. I knew Lester was watching me, waiting to see what I wanted him to do now. We had one other option, which at the moment I was hesitating over. Thor had a reputation that was well-earned. He made no allowances when he followed his prey. Man, woman, or child, when he was charged with gaining information, he would use whatever means were necessary.

I gave a slight nod of my head and knew from Tank's oath that he wasn't happy with what he knew I was sanctioning. It didn't matter. I wanted my answers. I wasn't a misguided fool that put women on a pedestal. They were every bit as ruthless as men were, and I wasn't giving Agent J the benefit of doubt.

There was movement behind me, and the slam of the door told me Tank was more than just a little pissed at my latest move. He'd get over it. I turned to Lester and said, "Tell him he only has a couple of hours."

Lester's gaze was steady on me, as if he were wondering if I was really aware of what I was sanctioning. My jaw hardened. "You heard me. Do it."

I saw the frown as he turned, his phone coming out as he walked away. I turned back to the window and let memories take over.

I'd been just eighteen when I'd met Rachel. I was on my first leave after joining the Army and went to visit my abuela. Lester and I, along with a couple of cousins, headed to the beach, where we ran into Rachel and some of her girlfriends. We'd chosen a spot near them, and over the course of the afternoon, we'd become one group. I'd asked Rachel out, and we'd had a good time the next few days. On my last night in town, I'd decided to take her to an upscale restaurant. She'd worn a barely there dress, and she was more touchy feely than she'd been up to that point. One thing led to another, and we'd spent the night together.

When I went back to my unit, I had her picture in my wallet and we had plans for the future. Over the next two years, we'd became even closer, visiting a few times when I could, and I'd finally decided to bite the bullet and ask her to marry me. When I got my next leave, I'd stopped at a jeweler's on my way to Miami and bought the ring. I'd gone right to her place from the airport. I hadn't even told her I was coming. I'd wanted it to be a surprise.

_I used my key to let myself into her apartment, although by now, I didn't need keys to get in places—Uncle Sam had taught me a whole list of other methods. I heard muffled sounds coming from the bedroom and headed that way. My mind was focused on what I was preparing to do, so it took several seconds for the sounds to register. When they did, I frowned as I stopped. I wondered if Rachel had loaned her apartment to a friend, but that thought was discounted when I heard her screaming,_ _"_Yes…yes…yes_!"_

_Knowing what I'd find, I knew I had to verify it with my own eyes. I strode forward and opened her bedroom door. There on her bed, where the two of us had made love just six months before, was a man I'd never seen before and the woman I thought I loved. Not only that, but from the look of her, Rachel appeared to be in the second trimester of a pregnancy._

My heart hardened that day. I'd done what I had to in order to ensure that the baby was protected until I could find out if it was mine or not. I'd had Lester watch over her. When Julie was born three months later, I'd insisted on DNA testing, and once I knew she was my daughter, I'd gone to court and sued Rachel for custody. I'd had the money to make sure I won, and when the judge found out that Rachel had been planning to sell the baby to the highest bidder, he'd taken away all her rights.

I was brought back to the present by the sound of the suite door opening. I turned and locked gazes with Tank. I'd seen that look in his eyes before on a few occasions.

I watched him warily as he moved closer. Although we were friends, there had been a few instances when he'd been mad enough to start a fight with me over my actions. It took all my skill to take him down on a normal day when we were sparring, but when he was in this kind of mood, he had the potential to do some serious damage. I needed to find a way to diffuse the situation before the mission got screwed.

My eyes narrowed. "Get it out on the table so we can move on. We have a mission to complete here, and we don't have time for this bullshit."

Tank stopped directly in front of me. He put his hand on the top of his bald head and brought it down over his face as if he was struggling with something he wanted to say. After several seconds, his eyes met mine, and the next thing I knew, Tank's fist connected with my jaw. He gave a nod of his head. "That'll do for now."

I put a hand up to my jaw. It hurt like a son of a bitch, but I didn't think anything was broken. "Now that you have that out of the way, can we get down to business?"

"You deserved that. You damn well know what Thor's like, and you put him on the scent of that little girl. I knew Rachel changed you, but I didn't think you'd become that much of a bastard, Rangeman."

"Rachel has nothing to do with this. I have an operation to run, and it's necessary to know everyone on the team. SOP dictates I run a background check on everyone involved."

Tank let out a growl. "That's why you only had Lester run the check on J? What about the rest of Shep's team or A? I don't see Thor going after any of them."

I gave a sight shrug. I couldn't explain this need to know everything about the woman. I wasn't thrilled that Thor was going to be getting answers from her. Although I was assuming he'd seduce them out of her, I knew in the back of my mind was the nagging thought that he had no limits to the methods he would use to extract information.

At my silence, Tank shook his head. "You've turned into a cold bastard. One of these days, your actions are going to come back and bite you in the ass. You'll go too far with some innocent woman, and in the end, you'll regret it."

I gave him a sneering smile. "Maybe. But that won't be today, or with this woman."

His fist clenched, but he held himself in check.

After that, we got down to the business of looking over the plans I was making for drawing out Daje. Although the goal was to get him to enter the U.S. to retrieve his brother, the legwork needed to be done here so he'd be chasing us back to the States. Hopefully, he'd be so focused on the goal that he wouldn't even notice he'd gone too far until we had the cuffs on him.

**Stephanie's POV**

The first thing I registered on waking up was that my head hurt like a son of a bitch. The second was the smell of French fries. I opened my eyes and looked around the room, frowning as I took in the cool dampness of the stone walls. There were no windows in this room, only a wooden door, which I suspected would be locked, and enough wall sconces to provide a little light from the candles burning inside. I was lying on a cot, and the only other furniture in the room was a chair. On the seat of the chair was a familiar bag from one of my favorite places and a soft drink container.

I put my feet on the floor as I sat up and reached for the bag. There was a large order of French fries inside, and they were still warm. I took a handful and stuffed them into my mouth, moaning in pleasure as I tasted the salty goodness. I reached for the drink to wash them down and rolled my eyes as the sugar from the syrupy drink hit my palate. Yum! Dining at its finest.

For the next few minutes, I put thoughts of my circumstances on the back burner and concentrated on enjoying the cure. When I'd finished the last bite, then drained the remainder of the drink, I set the stuff back on the chair and stood up to get a complete picture of exactly what my position was. My hand went to the door knob, and I tried turning it. When it twisted, I was slightly surprised. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I opened the door a sliver to look out and see what I was planning to step into.

The area outside the room looked like a dark hallway, like you'd find in the lower part of a castle, possibly the servants' quarters. I cautiously stepped out of the room and slowly made my way to the right as I traversed the passageway.

I hadn't gone very far when I came to a stone wall blocking my way. There was something off about it, but I couldn't put my finger right on it. I bit my lip, not really wanting to feel around because I knew how prevalent spiders and other creepy crawlies were in places like this. I looked back the way I'd come, but something told me this was the direction I needed to go. I took a deep breath, trying to make myself relax, and reached out to investigate the area.

There was a ledge just beyond my reach on the stone wall, and below it, I felt seams that weren't visible in the light I had to see by, indicating a door. I made my way back to the room where I'd woken up and grabbed the chair that was there. It was heavier than I expected, but I managed to carry it back to the wall so that I could stand on it to investigate the ledge. I was working more by feel than actually being able to see what I was doing. About midway on the ledge, toward the back, there was a lever. I pulled it, and the sounds of stone moving on stone could be heard as the wall opened to reveal a stairway going up.

I carefully moved forward, taking stock of my surroundings as I went. The farther I went, the lighter it became. When I reached the top of the stairs, there was a small, closet-like space where someone could stand, but there was another wall blocking the way. I frowned. How was it possible this area was lighter, yet there was a wall blocking the way? I stepped as close to the wall as I could and turned around to look back at the way I'd come.

There was a stream of light moving through the wall in the shape of a door. Obviously, this opening was close enough to sunlight that the rays were able to filter through the seams to illuminate this area. I turned around to investigate. Closing my eyes, I prayed for no critters before I once again reached out to investigate the area in front of me.

I was slowed down by having to fight back memories from the past of being locked in—more specifically, the incidents from my childhood that still haunted me. The last time had been just a few days before I'd run away when I was eight.

_I came home from school, and my mother was holding a letter in her hand. She had a fierce look of hatred on her face as she turned on me and screamed, "It's all your fault, you little whore! He's dead because of you."_

_I was frozen in place._

_She came at me in a rage and started hitting me. I put my arms up to cover my face, and she went crazy, screaming at me that I'd killed my daddy. The beating only lasted several seconds, and then she took hold of my arm and dragged me up to my room. I fell as we were going upstairs, but she didn't even stop to let me stand up. She just continued, dragging me up the rest of the stairs and to my room, where she threw me in the closet and locked the door._

It was a Friday when that happened. I remembered because it was the last day of school before Easter break, and we were going to the Barnhardts' on Sunday for a big dinner. I'd sat in my closet, letting all the pain pour out of me as I'd thought about the fact that my daddy was dead. It was then I'd made the decision that when we went back to school, I was going to run away and be free.

_When I finally heard the click that indicated the door was unlocked, I slowly opened it, not knowing what to expect. _

_Val was standing there with a glass of water, tears in her eyes._

_She handed me the glass and said, "You have to hurry and get cleaned up to go to the Barnhardts'."_

_I slowly sipped the water. I knew if I drank it greedily like I wanted to, it would come back up. I nodded, but remained silent. Val waited till I'd drunk my water before she left. When I got downstairs, mother leaned down and whispered that if I said anything to anyone, she would have the old woman upstairs put in a home for crazy people. I had no reason to doubt that she would and every reason to believe her. _

_I put on a good show for the Barnhardts. When we got back home, I went back to my room to escape the monster that lived at my house._

I took a deep breath as I brought my focus back to the problem I was currently facing. I placed my hand on the wall once again, looking for the trigger I knew would open the passageway. Sure enough, there was the lever I needed, and wouldn't you know it, I was just shy of being able to pull it. I was stretched as far as I could be on my tiptoes. I leaned my head against the wall and let out a sigh.

I stepped back with my gaze down and noticed a small groove in the wall ahead of me. I smiled as I put my right foot on the groove so I would have the extra inches to pull the lever. It was hard to pull this lever, and I had to put my left leg out in the air a bit to give me the extra leverage I needed.

When I managed to pull the lever, the opening in the wall moved me into the next area, and a deep, masculine voice said, "Welcome to my lair, said the spider to the fly."

I let myself go so I was standing on my own two feet, slapped my hands against the secret door, and glared at my captor. "Damn it, Thor! What the hell is it this time? I thought we had a deal."

"We did, _ma chérie_. But an old acquaintance of mine called in a favor, and I had to pay up."

I stilled, knowing he'd given me a major clue if I could just decipher it. The rat bastard Manoso came to mind. I planted my hands on my hips as I narrowed my eyes. "This old acquaintance wouldn't happen to go by the name Ranger, would he?"

Thor's eyebrow raised and there was an amused expression on his face, as if he were laughing at me. "Ah. So you've met my friend."

I rolled my eyes. "Not like I could avoid it. He pinched my collar last night and is throwing his weight around."

Thor's eyes took on a gentle expression as he asked, "Want me to straighten him out, _tesoro_?"

I was puzzled by his change in tone, and one of these days, I had to look up that word. Thor had been calling me that since the first time he'd kidnapped me nearly six years ago.

Kye and I had been working on a smuggling case, and I'd had a lead I wanted to check out. I'd run into Thor, and he'd ended up drugging me and taking me to some dark dungeon in his castle. Wait a minute! I looked into Thor's face and could tell by the expression on his face that he knew I'd made the connection.

He'd kept me here three days that first time. I'd escape from one room, only to find myself walking right into the room where Thor was sitting, as if waiting for me to arrive. He'd place me in another room that was supposedly even harder to get out of, and I'd managed to escape from that room, only to eventually enter a room where he was once again waiting.

In the end, he'd handcuffed me to the headboard of his bed, telling me to be a good girl, just so he could get some sleep. I'd had the handcuffs off and one of his wrists secured to the headboard when he woke up.

I smiled, remembering his reaction to that, as well as the conversation that had followed. He definitely wasn't happy, but that was when he'd first started calling me _tesoro_.

Thor nodded. "Yes. I brought you here. At least I was generous enough to have 'the cure' waiting for you and left the door unlocked."

I rolled my eyes. "If you think that's going to save you, you're way off."

He chuckled. "No. I didn't expect it to save me. I need to know what you're working on. Ranger won't stop if he doesn't get what he wants. I've been sanctioned to get the intel by using any means necessary."

I felt sick to my stomach as my mind raced back to how our first meeting came to an end. I'd seen what Thor was capable of. During our conversation in his bedroom, when I'd managed to cuff him to his own bed, I found out Thor was a mercenary for hire. He had a moral code of his own that he wouldn't breech for any reason. When he found out what I was working on, he'd dealt himself onto my team. Not only did he get me into the inner circle as his girlfriend, but when the target we were after struck back and put a hit out on me, Thor had gone in and destroyed them all single-handedly.

The dead bodies had really piled up on that one, and it still made me sick whenever I thought about it. I felt responsible. Thor had acted to protect me.

I felt a gentle kiss on my cheek and looked up to see he was standing beside me.

He leaned in so his lips were against my ear and whispered, "Let it go."

I looked up into his eyes, catching a flash of pain before it was masked. My eyes narrowed. "You put on a show for them."

He nodded. "Yes. Now, I need to know what you're working on so I know the best way to play this."

I shook my head. "I can handle this."

His eyes narrowed. "You don't have a choice. I know Ranger. He won't give this up. The biggest handicap you have is that you're a woman. He doesn't trust them. Not even his own family. If I am willing to work with you, he'll accept you on the team, even if it is grudgingly."

I plopped down on a nearby chair and put my face in my hands. "It works both ways. I don't trust him, either. Right now, the only ones I know I can trust are you, Shep, and Kye. You've already told me that I can't totally trust you."

He knelt down in front of me and took my hands in his. "Trust your instincts. Tell me."

I looked up at him. "The bouncer at Whiskey Mist lives in one of the flats near where you picked me up. I was questioning his girlfriend and her little girl."

A haunted look momentarily graced his face. "What did you see?"

I hesitated for just a second. "There was a photo of Henry with one of the guys from the team that's been working on the sting."

He looked fierce. "Which one?"

I shook my head once again. "I'm going to get the proof I need to nail his ass to the wall."

He studied me, a cold expression on his face. After several seconds, he held out his hand. "Hello, partner."

I gave him a puzzled look.

He chuckled. "I'll vouch for you with Ranger. In return, you agree to partner with me so I can watch over you and make sure you are protected. I've seen your injuries from last night. That's not acceptable. I'll make sure you're not hurt again."

I wanted to argue with him, but I'd seen that look on his face before. I'd learned the third time he kidnapped me that when he got that look on his face, I had two options: agree to what he wanted, or make sure he was locked up so he couldn't get out. Since I couldn't do that, I had no choice but to agree.

I smiled. "If I know Shep, he'll start this operation out by having afternoon tea with the queen and prince. Ranger won't have a choice but to let me work the case."

Thor threw his head back and let out a deep, rich, belly laugh.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Kye's POV**

I was torn between my desire to follow Stephanie so I could make sure she was okay, and my need to focus on the job. It was imperative that we get this right so we'd have the best opportunity to nail King Daje. Clenching my jaw in order to keep my mouth shut, I listened to Manoso giving Woody instructions in what he wanted us doing. When he finished, Woody and I headed to the street outside the hotel.

Woody looked around. "Where's your car?"

I shrugged, motioning to the racing bike padlocked near the door. "We don't drive much. The taxes will eat you alive."

He ran a hand through his hair as he pulled out his phone, moving far enough away that I wasn't able to hear what he was saying. When he returned to where I was waiting, a black taxi was pulling up. He nodded his head in the direction of the cab, saying, "It's ours for the day."

I followed him, climbing into the back seat.

Woody looked at me and asked, "You know the city. Where are we headed?"

I leaned forward and gave the driver an address. J and I had checked it out when the queen had first put Raje on the unwanted visitor list, giving us free reign to take him down if we were to see him. Although we'd thoroughly searched the area, we'd come up with nothing. Stephanie was convinced he was hiding out in one of the flat buildings.

I felt eyes watching me and turned to see Woody looking at me curiously.

I raised an eyebrow. "You have something you want to ask?"

He shrugged. "Just wondering what's between you and J. You two a couple?"

My eyes narrowed. "That's not your concern."

He let out a grunt. "It is if you let it get in the way of what we're doing."

"You won't need to worry about that."

He stared at me for several seconds, as if he were weighing the situation, before his gaze moved to the scenery outside the window.

Just a few minutes later, we pulled up to the row of flats, I climbed out, leaving him to pay the fare. If Manoso wanted to run this show, then he could foot the cost. I'd only taken a few steps when Woody stepped in line beside me.

Over the next three hours, we covered quite a bit of ground. Unfortunately, we turned up nothing new. I was about to call it a day when I saw a late-model, dark gray Renault CLIO 1.2 16V Dynamique three-door hatchback. The vehicle caught my attention because of the Whiskey Mist sticker on the bumper, which meant the person driving the car worked at the club.

I motioned to Woody, and we moved out of sight, yet made sure we could still see what was happening.

The bouncer, Henry, climbed out of the car and made his way to one of the doors. There were sounds that made it obvious he and Raje had things in common. A few seconds later, Henry exited the building and got back in his car. Once he'd driven off, I moved forward to see what I could learn from whoever was on the other side of the door.

Woody seemed to know what I was planning, because he was there knocking before I could.

The door was cracked open with a chain across the opening, letting us know that the person on the other side was being cautious. When no one appeared in the open space between the frame and the door, I looked down and couldn't help but smile.

The expression on the little girl's face was solemn. I took my badge out and showed it to her. She stayed as she was for several seconds, then bit her lip and looked back into the room, as if she was weighing what she should do. She must have come to a decision, because the door closed and I heard the chain being removed before it was once again opened.

The child looked up at us warily, but it was easy to see that she was worried about something.

I knelt down so I was on her level and asked, "What's wrong, moppet?"

She clasped her hands in front of her. "Mummy's not moving. I think he hit her bad."

I stood, striding through the apartment until I came upon the body of a woman on the sitting room floor. She wasn't moving. I knelt down once again, this time to check for a pulse. There was a slight one. Not knowing the extent of the woman's injuries, I decided to err on the side of caution. I called for a bus.

While we waited, I turned to the child. "What's your name?"

"Alice."

"Can you tell me what happened to your mummy?"

"It was Henry. He was mad because he found out Mummy emptied out her bank account today. He wanted the money. She told him it was gone. He hit her something fierce and took off."

"Were you and your mummy going somewhere?"

She nodded. "J suggested we go visit Mummy's family for a while."

I stilled. "J was here."

She nodded again. "Just before lunch. When she left, there was a man waiting for her. She seemed to fall, and he scooped her into his arms and carried her off to his car so he could take her to his castle. He's the Dark Prince, you know."

_Shit!_ I had a feeling I knew exactly who she was talking about. I turned back to the child. "Is there someone close you could stay with?"

She shook her head.

Before I could say anymore, the medics entered the apartment and went to work on the woman. One of their group members was female, and she came over to take charge of Alice.

I stood, moving over to the wall where several photos were set. I wasn't sure what was drawing me over as I looked over the collection of pictures there. I stilled as the people in one of them caught my eye. Taking out my phone, I used the camera button to snap a photo. After making sure the shot was a good one, I replaced the phone in my pocket.

We waited till everyone had gone before locking up and leaving. Once we were outside, I scanned the area, looking for a clue as to who had Stephanie. No, I_ had_ a clue. I just wanted proof. I couldn't help but wonder if it was him and, if he was behind it, what he was after this time.

A small shiny object caught my eye, and I moved over to check it out, slipping on a glove before bending over to picking it so I could exam it closer. I was pissed when I recognized Stephanie's hair tie she'd put her hair up with today.

With my anger barely leashed, I strode to the taxi waiting at the curb and climbed in, telling the driver the address and to step on it. Woody had barely shut his door when we were moving. There was only one explanation for why he would have taken her, and if I was right, I planned to make sure the bastard knew I wasn't happy. During the ride, I pulled up the picture I'd taken and showed Woody, letting him in on what I'd discovered.

When the taxi pulled to the curb at the Park Plaza County Hall Hotel,I didn't wait for him to come to a complete stop before I had the door open and was striding up to their hotel suite. When I got to the door, I didn't bother knocking. I used a well-placed boot to the door, and it went slamming open. As it swung back to me, I helped it on its way closed, making it sound like a gunshot as the door slammed shut.

Manoso turned with lightning reflexes, ready to act. At a glance, I took in the fact that not only were Manoso's men here, but so were Stephanie and Thor. I didn't care that she was safe. The bastard had put her in harm's way, and I intended to teach him the error of his ways.

I stalked forward, not even stopping when Tank stepped into my path. I pushed him out of the way and continued on till I was right in front of Manoso. My fist was clenched, and I could see Manoso was ready for me to throw a punch. Instead, I did a sneaky maneuver with my legs, which had him on his ass, and then I was on top of him and got in a sucker punch to the jaw before Tank pulled me off him.

I was breathing as if I'd just run a marathon, and I was ready to take on all of his men if necessary, but I really wanted to continue the lesson that you don't mess with Stephanie.

Thor stepped between us, a huge smile on his face. "Nice. I have to say, I enjoy the sight a hell of a lot better when someone else is on the receiving end."

My eyes narrowed. "You're still not in the clear."

Thor held his hands up in the air and backed up a step. We were the same height, but he had twenty pounds of muscle on me. He was a good-looking man, and had he been so inclined, I wouldn't have minded getting together with him—once I'd taught him the error of kidnapping Stephanie, that is—but even though Thor hated women, they were his partner of choice when it came to the bedroom. His jet black hair was pulled back into the ponytail he habitually wore, and the handsomeness of his face was marred only by the scar that ran from the corner of his left eye to just under his chin.

By this time, Manoso had stood and was looking at me like he'd love nothing more than to wipe the floor with my ass. My only thought was, _"Too bad, asshole!"_

**Stephanie's POV**

Once I'd agreed to let him partner me, Thor led me to the dining room, where a wonderful lunch was waiting for us. The final touch was pineapple upside-down cake. I moaned with every bite. Thor's cook made the best food I'd ever tasted.

I looked over to where he was seated to see he was watching me, his eyes dilated with desire. He laughed. "You really know how to torture a man, _tesoro_."

I blushed, lowering my eyes to my clasped hands resting on the table as I suddenly felt uncomfortable.

He reached out and covered my hands with one of his, squeezed gently, then said, "Don't worry. You're safe with me. Always." He let out a laugh before adding, "Besides, if I harm a hair on your head, Tank has threatened to pound my ass until there's nothing left of it."

I looked up into his face, which was devoid of any hint he'd just been incredibly aroused. I let out the breath I wasn't aware I'd been holding and gave him a weak smile.

He patted my hand. "Now that I've fed you, I think it's time to confront my old friend, Ranger."

I grimaced.

Thor threw back his head and let out a rich, deep laugh.

I glared.

When we made our way out to the courtyard, I couldn't help but look wistfully at the Porsche sitting there waiting for us.

A gentle hand on my cheek had me turning so I was looking at Thor. There was a twinkle in his blue eyes as he held out the keys with his other hand.

My eyes widened. "You're letting me drive?"

He gave a single nod of his head. "That I am. It serves two purposes. It will show Ranger I trust you fully, and more importantly, it will give you pleasure. I can't pass up an opportunity for that."

He helped me into the driver's seat before going around to the other side to get in the passenger seat. When I turned the car over, the feel of the power under my hands was incredible. In no time, I had us rocketing toward London.

We had a few missed turns because of the speed I was going and the fact that I had to get my directions from him. Although I'd been at the castle numerous times, I still had no clue where it was located.

Over the past six years, Thor had seen fit to kidnap me no less than seventeen times. This was the first time he'd left the door unlocked for me, though. I'd asked him once why he went through the elaborate ruse of kidnapping me.

His reply was that he did that to safeguard me. He knew by now that I wouldn't volunteer any information, but there were people out there who would use unscrupulous methods if they thought I had an idea of where he actually lived. As that thought registered, I wondered why he was allowing me to drive us away from the castle. No sooner had the thought registered when there was a massive explosion coming from the path which we'd traveled.

I hit the brake and turned to look in the direction we'd come from. For the first time, I saw that he'd had me on a maze of roads interwoven around his beautiful home, which was now engulfed in flames. I turned to look at him. "Why?"

He smiled gently. "It's time. My base of operation is going to be changing soon, and it was necessary not to leave anything behind."

"What about the people who work for you?"

"They are already in route to the new location."

I sat there looking at him for several seconds before turning back to the road and getting us underway. It took less than an hour to get us to the hotel where Manoso and his friends were staying. Pulling into the lot, I opted to park the car myself, rather than stopping for the valet, knowing this would be Thor's preference. I got out and joined him, then we made our way to the penthouse suite.

I rang the bell, and Tank was the one who answered the door. There was a look on his face I couldn't quite decipher, but I got the impression he was surprised by our appearance. He stepped back so we could enter.

Thor placed a hand at the small of my back as we moved into the room. We'd no more than stopped in front of Manoso when the suite door was kicked open. I turned to see a pissed-off Kye storming forward with murder in his eyes.

Before I could react, Kye pushed Tank out of his way, swept Manoso's legs out from under him, and lost no time in following him down to the ground so he could sock him in the jaw. I'd noticed when we arrived that there was already a discoloration in that jaw, as if he'd suffered a blow there very recently.

Tank hauled Kye off Ranger, holding him away as Manoso pulled himself to his feet.

Ranger looked like he wanted to kill someone. He turned my way, and there was a look in his eyes that made me want to crawl in a hole and hide.

I straightened to my full five-feet-seven-inch height and raised my chin, letting him know I wasn't backing down. Thor stepped between Kye and Ranger, diffusing the situation slightly with his wry sense of humor.

We took seats around the sitting room, Kye and Thor sitting on either side of me on the sofa, and the rest of the men took seats around the room.

Thor was the first to speak. "When you asked me to look into J's background, why didn't you give me her name? It would have saved us all a great deal of hassle."

Ranger lifted an eyebrow, then turned to Lester.

Lester frowned. "I told you she was the American working in the embassy office here for the FBI."

Thor shrugged. "You didn't tell me it was J. There are two other American women working in that office as well. Of course, the other two are merely secretaries, but still."

Ranger asked, "You know her, then?"

Thor leaned back against the sofa and grinned. "That I do. As a matter of fact, I've decided I'm dealing myself into the dynamic here. I'm looking forward to partnering J again."

Ranger studied Thor for several seconds before saying, "We have all the manpower we need. As a matter of fact, I don't think we really need her help."

Thor chuckled.

The doorbell rang. No one moved for several seconds. Whether they didn't want to miss the excitement or what, I wasn't sure.

Finally, Woody got up and went to the door, stepping back once it was opened to allow Shep to enter the room.

Shep looked around, and I could see the questions in his eyes, but instead of asking, he turned to Ranger and said, "We have special audience in thirty minutes. You, J, and myself."

Ranger shook his head. "Tank can come with us. I've decided that _Agent_ J won't be needed for this operation."

Shep's eyes bulged. "Uh… Shit! You two kids aren't playing nice, are you? Well, you need to re-think this. If J isn't with us, we aren't getting in and we won't get the approval we need."

Ranger let out a half growl. "What, has she slept with every man in London? You all act like she's so great. Well, I have news for you. I'm not interested in the _whore_."

He got no further. Thor moved like lightning and threw a punch. Ranger was out cold on the floor. I had my arms wrapped around myself, and the cold I felt was making me shake.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**Ranger's POV**

The second the words were out of my mouth, I knew I'd gone too far. It was imperative for me to push her away, though. I wanted her more than any other woman, but I was determined not to let myself get drawn into a relationship of any kind. The pain in my jaw as it took a hit for the third time within the space of a few short hours was excruciating. My last thought as I felt myself falling was that I deserved the pain. I'd caught a glimpse of the haunted horror on her face and couldn't help but wonder about what I'd done.

Opening my eyes, I found myself lying on my back on the sitting room floor of our hotel suite. I looked around as I gingerly checked myself out. The room was empty except for Tank.

He was standing looking down at me with an expression of disgust on his face.

I sat up, asking him, "Where are the others?"

He gave a grunt. "Thor and A took J home. I was instructed to give you a message from Thor."

I raised an eyebrow. The hit from Thor had surprised the hell out of me. He was a self-proclaimed woman hater, yet he defended J without a second's hesitation. I wondered if I was partly right and the two of them were hitting the sheets.

Tank held out a hand, which I accepted warily. The mood he was in, I wasn't sure if his intention was to help me up, or to bring me in closer so he could finish off the jaw that he and the other two had already worked over.

He chuckled. "I'd love nothing more than to put you back on your ass. But I'll be satisfied with the pain you'll be feeling from that jaw for the next couple of weeks. You've got a pretty good bruise there."

"It feels like I've been hit with a sledgehammer."

"Yeah, well, you deserved it, Rangeman. I knew you hated women, but I've never known you to be deliberately cruel."

"Yeah, well…"

"Save it. Shep said he'd try to get the queen and prince to agree to the meeting without J, although you shouldn't hold your breath." He went to turn, as if to go.

My eyes narrowed. I winced at the pain in my left jaw as the pull of the muscles registered. "I thought you said Thor left a message. What was it?"

Tank turned, his gaze drilling into mine. "Next time, you're dead."

I held my blank look in place as the words registered. I'd known Thor for over ten years. We'd been part of the same unit and had saved each other's asses on numerous occasions. One thing I knew, the man never said anything he didn't mean. J meant something to him, enough for him to forget years of serving together and the brotherhood that we'd formed. I nodded, letting Tank know that I'd heard him and the warning was received.

I turned, heading toward the kitchen so I could make an ice pack for my jaw. Wrapping a towel around it, I headed for my room to consider what our next move might be.

Lying down on the bed with my head propped on the pillow, I held the ice to my cheek as my thoughts turned to the past.

Rachel wasn't the first unscrupulous woman I'd met. That honor went to the woman who'd given birth to me.

My first memories were of Celia, my sister. She was the one who I remembered taking care of me, taking me everywhere with her. When she graduated from high school when I was four, I didn't understand why she was crying as she and my father argued over her going to college. He'd told her she needed to go, that the rest of us would be just fine. After all, that's why he'd married Marie, so that she would be able to care for the younger children when it was time for Celia to leave for college.

Celia had told him that Marie wasn't what he thought she was, and he'd told her not to disrespect his wife.

She'd pleaded, but our father had refused to listen. When she'd tucked me in that night, she'd told me how sorry she was and promised that she wasn't abandoning me and would come back to see me whenever she could.

I'd been devastated as I watched her drive away the next day. My happy childhood days were over. Although I knew logically that Celia couldn't have changed things, I still found I was unable to forgive her for what I considered abandoning me to the woman that claimed the title of mother. Since I was the one with her the most, I bore the brunt of her treatment. She wasn't happy about having to take care of six children, and she made sure I knew it. By the next summer when Celia had returned home, I'd managed to bury any feelings beneath a layer of ice that no one could penetrate.

At my father's grave a couple of months later, listening to the priest speak, I'd vowed never to let any woman hurt me again. When I met Rachel I'd momentarily forgotten that lesson, but I'd vowed never to let it happen again.

When Rachel had given birth to a baby girl, I was able to get custody of the infant. I took her to my sister Celia, and she'd agreed to raise the baby. Over the past ten years, she'd tried to get me to come and visit the child, but I knew the girl was better off without me in her life. I had nothing to give her.

My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of my phone. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled it out, connecting the call. "Yo."

"Ranger, I was unable to get an audience with the queen. Her secretary intimated that without J's presence, we don't stand a snowball's chance in hell on getting an audience with Her Majesty."

I sighed. "And that would be a bad thing?"

Shep laughed. "We need the queen to sign off on us going forward with this plan, or nothing we do will be legal. If Daje has immunity, he'll come at us before we get the plan in motion."

_Shit!_ "What are our chances of getting J to co-operate?"

Shep gave a rueful laugh, "Remember that snowball's chance? That would be better than our chances."

_Damn!_ "Give me J's address. I'll go and speak with her."

There was silence on the line, and it might have been my imagination, but it felt a little frosty. Finally, Shep said, "No way in hell am I giving you that information, mate. I like J. Besides, if I let you have another go at J, Tina would bust my balls. No way am I getting on my sister's bad side."

"Then find a way to bring her to me."

"You're not asking for much, are you?"

My face hardened as I demanded, "Do it." I disconnected the phone and set the offending object on the nightstand. I lay back trying to relax, knowing I would have some time while Shep worked his magic on the woman.

**Stephanie's POV**

I'm not sure exactly how I got to my flat. The last thing I remembered was Manoso calling me that foul name. Looking around my room for clues, I saw no hint as to how I'd gotten here. I had to go on the assumption that Kye, Thor, or both had gotten me out of that awful hotel room and brought me here.

Just as I was getting around to wondering what had woken me, I detected voices arguing at low volume. I recognized Kye's and Shep's voices, but the third male voice I wasn't sure of.

Kye hissed, "I don't give a flying fuck what your boss wants. J's off-limits to you bloody lot."

The voice I didn't recognize responded, "We have a chance to take this monster out of commission. You're going to let your girlfriend's feeling get in the way?"

Even through the walls of my bedroom, I could hear the banked fury of Kye's words as he said, "I'd say if you miss your chance at King Daje, it's on your bloody boss's head."

Shep's voice of reason broke in. "A, I'm asking for a chance to talk with J. That's all. I'll respect her wishes, whatever they are."

"And that's why you brought this asshole with you? Just so you could talk to J? You'd have had a better chance if you'd not brought the enemy here."

I heard the frustration in Shep's voice. "I didn't bring him. He showed up when I was knocking on the door."

The unknown voice replied, "You need to be more aware of your surroundings."

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, making my way out to where the others were gathered. Although I was barefoot, I was otherwise still fully dressed, which led me to believe my reaction to my shoes and socks being removed wasn't good. Normally, Kye would have no problems with undressing me and putting me to bed. On the few occasions when I'd enjoyed a couple of drinks, he'd done exactly that.

When I reached the common room that we had broken up into a dining room-living room combo, I was able to see Kye facing off with Hector.

Shep must have been alerted by my arrival, as he turned his head in my direction. He went through a host of emotions within the space of a few short seconds. The first was guilt, then momentarily relief before his expression hardened as he clenched his jaw as well his hands, which were hanging at his side.

I glanced in the mirror on the wall as I passed it and had to bite back a scream. My hair was a tangled mess, and I looked like I'd been crying. I didn't remember crying.

Shep looked at me for several seconds before shaking his head and saying, "I'm supposed to convince you to help us out with this case. To hell with that. I think you should tell Ranger to go hang himself and walk away. What's more, I owe you an apology for not warning you that he and his men would be at Whisky Mist and they were taking charge of the prince."

Hector had a pissed look on his face.

Before he could say anything, I held up a hand. "I have no intention of getting within three feet of that bastard. If he can come up with a plan to make us both happy, I'll take it under advisement. If not, screw him. Thor and A are the only ones I'll partner with." My gaze met Shep's as I continued. "You'll need to earn my trust before I'm willing to partner with you again."

Shep nodded. "I'll tell him. The queen will be pleased that you're joining us for high tea."

I laughed. "She just wants to see another explosion."

Shep smiled. "You have to admit, it's unique."

I could see the puzzled look on Hector's face, but I had no intention of giving the enemy any information. When it came down to it, he was loyal to Manoso, and I didn't trust him.

Shep left a couple of minutes later, taking Hector with him.

I turned to Kye and knew by the way he was looking at me that he wasn't happy with my decision. I shrugged. "Raje was a monster, and his brother is worse. I couldn't live with myself if he hurt another innocent woman and there was something I could have done to stop it. I was serious about only working with you or Thor. At least I'll have some protection from the bastard."

Kye gave me a wry grin. "Something tells me that you're not talking about Daje."

I grimaced. "No. He's a monster. Manoso's the bastard."

Heading into the bathroom, my plan was to shower, mainly to tame my hair, and it wouldn't hurt to unwind a little. It was my hope to talk Kye into joining me for a night on the town. With that in mind, I chose a pair of pale blue shorts, a white blouse with pale blue flowers on it, and I paired the outfit with silver sandals with five-inch heels.

Stepping back out into the common room, I glanced over at Kye. "Are you up for some fun?"

He smiled, holding his hands in the air at waist level. "You think I'll pass muster?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know you're gorgeous. You don't need to fish for compliments."

He threw his head back and let loose with a low laugh before wrapping his arms around me and whispering, "Let's go, love."

Kye called for a taxi before we made our way down to the street. On a whim, we'd decided to start the night at Iron Mike's Pub, which was within walking distance of the Eye. It was off a side street and looked like a back alley, hole-in-the-wall dive, but they had the most wonderful food there, and it was dirt cheap to boot.

When the taxi dropped us off, the place was packed and there were another dozen or more people waiting in line. We could have walked right in and the owner would have seated us, no questions asked, but we weren't in a hurry, so we waited patiently with the other customers waiting their turn to be seated. To pass the time, we struck up conversations with the other patrons.

Just as it got to be our turn, a white limo pulled up to the curb, signaling that a VIP was about to be placed at the head of the line. I turned to Kye, rolling my eyes as the thought of having to wait another fifteen minutes to half an hour was making me lose the sense of fun I'd started the evening out with. I was getting hungry, and my stomach was getting ready to send up a revolt.

Just as I had the thought, my stomach sent forth a growl that made me cringe with embarrassment. The fact that Philip, the owner of the pub, chose that moment to step out made it doubly embarrassing.

Philip's eyes widened at the sound, and he threw his head back in laughter. Before he could say anything, the limo driver rounded the back of the car and opened the door for the occupants.

My eyes widened slightly as the Americans stepped out of the back of the vehicle. _ Bloody marvelous _was my only thought.

I must have made some small sound, because Philip turned to me with a grin. "Not a fan of the Americans, I see."

I grimaced. "We have differing opinions."

Philip smiled sweetly.

Manoso and his group joined us, and although I felt the heat from Ranger's gaze, I refused to look his way.

Philip, on the other hand, greeted the group like they were long-lost friends. "Ranger! You could've knocked me over with a feather when I got your call. I have just the table for you. It will be only another fifteen, twenty minutes tops."

Ranger's right eyebrow rose. "I thought you said it would be ready when we got here."

"Aye, I did. That was before I knew J was out here starving. Sorry, mate, but what's a bloke to do? Can't leave a beautiful woman waiting."

Ranger's gaze ran over me coldly. "She doesn't look like she's starving to me, or that waiting would hurt her any."

Philip's eyes widened.

Before he could say anything, though, my stomach let out another roar. I could see the expressions of surprise that were quickly masked on their faces and was embarrassed even further by Lester, who said, "Whoa, beautiful! That's some food alarm system you have there."

Tank wiped his hand over his mouth, as if he were trying to hide a smile. "Maybe we could share the table."

Philip beamed. "Excellent! Excellent! Right this way, then."

I glanced at Kye, and we both rolled our eyes before following Philip into the darkest part of the pub.

Not waiting to see where everyone else was going to sit, I opted for the seat that had the best view of the other people in the pub. People watching was one of my favorite pastimes, and I sat in the only seat where I had my back to the wall and could see everything that was going on at the same time. The fact that this was the only seat with a view of the exits didn't matter, because I never paid much attention to those details.

Ranger's words had me looking up into his face. "You're in my seat, Babe."

I pointedly looked around the table before turning back to him. I smiled sweetly. "Suck it up and pick another one."

If I'd thought his gaze was icy before, it was nothing to what was being directed my way now.

Kye slipped into the seat beside me, and I felt comforted by the hand he placed on my thigh.

Ranger sat in another seat, but instead of facing the table, he set the seat so he was sitting sideways with his back to Tank.

Philip brought our menus over himself and stood waiting while we made our selections. Once we'd placed our orders, he smiled and rushed off to get our food.

Lester kept the conversation going as we waited for our meal, talking about all the new foods he'd been trying simply because he'd order thinking he was getting one thing, only to find out he was actually getting something else. He had it figured out, though, and he was sure his meal would be a culinary delight.

It was all I could do not to laugh. I'd heard some of the things these guys ordered and knew they were in for some surprises. I glanced at Kye, and the gleam in his eyes told me he was looking forward to the show as well.

Once our food came, Lester regaled us with the story of his attempts to get Tina to go out with him. When he asked me if I had any suggestions for how he could get the "little vixen," as he called her, to go out with him, I smiled and told him I wasn't ratting out my friend. If he wanted to go on a date with her, he'd have to find the way to make it happen.

When our desserts came, I knew it was about to get interesting. Both Kye and I had ordered bonkers banana. It had surprised me when Ranger had ordered that as well. He didn't seem the type to go all out with dessert. When he'd made the comment that at least bananas were healthy, I knew he had no idea what he was getting. Tank had ordered the same thing, and by the gleam in his eyes, I suspected he knew what the dish was. The other three ordered the black pudding. It was all I could do not to shiver and gag at the thought of what they would be eating.

When Philip returned to the table with our afters, he placed our choices in front of us before making sure we each had a cup of dessert coffee. Before he left, he turned to Ranger and said, "You surprised me. I thought the body was a temple. I never expected you to order a dessert like this."

Ranger looked at the dish that was set before him and glared. He lifted his head to Philip, a steely look in his eyes. "What's this trash?"

Philip grinned. "That, my friend, is bonkers banana."

Ranger looked at the offending dessert and then turned to look at Tank.

It looked like Tank was trying not to laugh as he said, "You know me, Rangeman. I have a sweet tooth, and this fits the bill."

I took a bite of my treat and moaned.

Four sets of eyes turned in my direction.

My eyes widened. "I like desserts. What can I say?"

Ranger glared at me as he picked out the fresh fruit and then pushed the rest of his dessert into the middle of the table. He watched me as I ate every bite of my treat.

Bonkers bananas was, in fact, one large banana, one fresh kiwi, five fresh strawberries, squirty cream, a handful—or in my case, three handfuls—of chocolate-covered peanuts, one Cadbury Flake bar, two Crunchi Bar—or basically chocolate-covered honeycomb—two scoops vanilla ice cream, and one half block plain chocolate. It was sinfully good. As I took my last bite, I moaned in pleasure as the flavors blended together in my mouth to create a pleasant taste that was every bit as good as the first bite I'd taken.

I looked around at the others, who were finishing up their plates as well. I shook my head. "I don't know how you guys can eat that." I shuddered.

Lester shrugged. "It was okay. Not what I'm used to in chocolate pudding, but still good."

Kye and I both laughed.

Woody and Lester frowned, but it was Ranger who spoke. "Why do you find that funny?"

I shrugged, a grin still on my face. "That's not chocolate pudding. That's black pudding, which is a big thing at breakfast, more than for dessert. It looks like a black sausage, and it's made from pig's blood and fat."

Lester swallowed hard, as did Woody and Hector. For a moment, I thought they might get sick, but then they seemed to put things in perspective.

Lester grinned weakly. "It's not the worst thing I've ever eaten. I don't think I'll be partaking of it again, though."

With that, we were all laughing—well, everyone except for Ranger. He was looking more stone-faced than ever.

Figuring it was time to go, we stood.

Kye took out enough to cover our meals and set it on the table.

I smiled at Lester, Tank, and Woody and said, "Cheerio."

The corner of Ranger's mouth went up in a wry grin, which was his only reaction to the deliberate snub.

Hector's eyes gleamed with humor, as if my actions gave him amusement. His gaze moved to Kye and heated.

We headed to the door and made good our escape. I'd had enough of being around Ranger and was ready to let my hair down and relax, so to speak. We headed to the Eye, and I felt excitement hum through me at the thought of the ride that was in store for us.

It didn't take us long to get to our destination. Kye bought our tickets, and we stepped into a car. I went over to watch as the world around me disappeared and we moved up in the air so I could pretend I was flying. I'd always wanted to be Wonder Woman when I was a little girl. When I was in the air looking out at the world from so high up, I felt like that's exactly who I was.

I was vaguely aware that Kye murmured something, but I was still caught up in the joy of my freedom. When it registered that he'd told me it was time for us to depart, I reluctantly turned to follow him out of the car, only to find the way blocked by none other than Ranger, and then the car was once again lifting into the sky. I was trapped alone with my nemesis.

**Ranger's POV**

_Shit!_ _Tank, you are a dead man_. Those were my first thoughts when the door closed behind me and the car started to rise in the air. Of course, mixed in with those thoughts was such an intense desire for the woman in front of me. I clenched my jaw, making sure my blank look was firmly in place as I debated taking her to bed to scratch this itch I had and rid myself of the desire I was feeling for her. It had worked beautifully for the past ten years, and I had no reason to believe it wouldn't work this time. All it took was one night screwing whichever woman was the cause of the itch at that moment, and I was cured.

Of course, in this case, I'd need to wait till after we'd completed the task of baiting the trap for Daje. That way, she wouldn't be able to screw up the operation as her way of enacting revenge for being used.

I knew I'd need to do some ground work anyway before she'd even consider hitting the sheets. Currently, she wanted nothing to do with me, and that didn't seem to be changing anytime soon. From the quick look at her face before she'd turned away, if looks could kill, I'd be six feet under.

Deciding to start working on changing that attitude so I could get her into bed, I mapped out a plan and put it in motion. I smiled. The look of stunned disbelief on her face was all I needed to know she'd been affected. I moved forward. "It's a beautiful view."

For a moment, I didn't think she'd answer me, then she turned to look out the window at the sky before us. "Yes, it is."

I stepped closer to her. "I'm sorry we've gotten off on the wrong foot. Perhaps we could start fresh?"

She turned, looking at me for several moments. I suspected she wasn't fooled by my sudden about-face. She gave a slight shrug. "I'm sure we're both professional enough to be able to work together for the next couple of days. We don't need to be friends in order to make it work."

"No. Not friends. Perhaps less adversarial, though."

Her eyes narrowed as she seemed lost in thought for a moment. "I suppose we could have a chin wag."

Trying not to appear as if I'd had no clue what she'd just said, I merely gave a slight nod of my head.

She smiled, her beautiful blue eyes lit up, and she threw her head back, laughing.

I waited till she'd finished, doing my best to look intimidating.

She shook her head. "You've no clue what I just said, do you? But instead of saying so, you're trying to bluff it out. I just meant we could have a sit-down conversation."

The corner of my mouth lifted in a semblance of a half-smile. "Now why didn't you just say so?"

We stood, looking out over the city from our vantage at the top of the Eye. I shifted ever so slightly to ease the tightness in my groin. We stood there silently for the next several minutes while the car made its circuit. When we reached the platform, there was the sound of the door sliding back so we could exit.

I rested a hand on her back and asked, "Are you ready to go?"

She looked reluctant for a moment, then nodded and turned to the door. "Yeah. It's time to leave Neverland and return to the real world."

As I followed her out, I wondered at her comment. She was an enigma I would enjoy getting better acquainted with. Of course, I was perfectly capable of keeping her in the box marked toy. There was no danger of her getting under my skin.

**Stephanie's POV**

When I'd turned and saw Ranger, I'd had a feeling the trip around the Eye was going to be worse than it actually turned out to be. He could be decent when he wanted. Of course, I wasn't going to trust him quite so easily. The way he looked at me made me nervous for some reason, and I'd learned to trust my instincts.

When we walked off the platform, Kye's fist was plowing into Hector's face. The smaller man moved like lightning, and the next thing I knew, my partner was on the ground and Hector had a knife to his throat. I acted instinctively, my hand going to the inside of my purse and bringing out the little stun gun I carried there.

Hector slumped to the side, and Kye shoved him off before taking my hand to stand.

Tank whistled. His gaze hardened as he turned to Lester and Woody. "No one tells him."

He got nods from the other two, then he lifted Hector and carried him to the waiting limo.

When they neared the vehicle, the driver got out and opened the back door. As he waited for the guys to put Hector into the back, his gaze wandered in my direction, and there was a look of glee on his face.

He was a good-looking guy. His hair was a sandy brown in color, and there was the start of a growth of a beard and mustache. I was too far away to see the color of his eyes, but for some reason, sherry brown came to mind. He had a good build—muscled, but not as well-built as Ranger and his men or Kye. He was several inches shorter than Lester and Woody, who were standing beside him. Possibly about five feet ten or eleven inches. He had black studs in his ears, and there was a shadow under his white shirt on the right arm, leading me to believe his arm was tattooed.

Something about the way he was looking at me made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end and really creeped me out. I moved closer to Kye.

He looked down and frowned slightly before whispering, "What's wrong, love?"

"Not sure." My gaze slipped back over to the driver of the limo.

Kye followed where my gaze went, and he seemed to study the man for several seconds. I knew he'd categorized every minute detail about the guy and would probably be scanning through the files to see if anyone matching his description was in the database. One thing I'd learned early on was that Kye had a photographic memory. It had saved my ass more than once.

Ranger stepped up beside us and said, "Now that we're playing nice, perhaps we can get together tomorrow and create a plan of action."

Kye's eyebrow rose.

I elbowed him playfully and whispered. "I'll explain later." I then turned to Ranger. "All right. Shall we meet at headquarters?"

Ranger shook his head. "I'd rather the two of you join us for breakfast. I'll call Shep and have him meet us as well."

I bit my lip as I considered his plan. "Who's ordering the food?"

Ranger raised an eyebrow.

Kye chuckled. "It's a valid question. When we first arrived over here, we allowed the boss to arrange the food for a breakfast meeting. J asked for a list of ingredients before she'd eat anything. The black pudding your men had earlier tonight was one of the staples, along with a host of other dishes native to England. There was nothing on the list she'd touch, and by the end of the meeting, the boss was regretting his lack of for-sight in including dishes friendly to foreigners."

The side of Ranger's mouth tilted. "All right, Babe. Give me a list of foods you want included, and we'll make sure they're there."

I grinned at him.

His eyes widened fractionally, but he quickly masked his expression.

Tank handed me a pocket notebook and pen, and I wrote down my favorite choices. When I handed the items back to him, he grinned. "You and my girl have a lot in common with your food likes."

I laughed. They were foods my friend Lula would enjoy, too, and the thought of that made me smile as I said, "Well, there you go. Don't order anything she wouldn't like and you'll be good to go."

With that, Kye and I headed downstairs to catch a taxi.

**Kye's POV**

Once we'd set the meeting time for the next morning, Stephanie and I headed for the front entrance, where we caught a taxi. We rode in silence for the first couple of minutes, and then she turned to face me as she asked, "What was that all about? Between you and Hector, I mean."

Shaking my head, I tried to get her off the subject by just telling her, "Let it go."

She studied me for several seconds before a tender look came into her eyes. She took hold of my hand and almost immediately let out a soft gasp. I looked down to see what had caught her attention and winced at the cuts and bruises on my hands from my fight with Hector.

_The minute I stepped through the doorway, I headed to pay for another couple of rounds. I knew how much Stephanie loved being at the top, looking out on the world. It really did give you the feeling of flying. I hadn't made it more than a few steps when I saw Ranger step into the car, and I headed back, hoping to catch Stephanie before it was too late. _

_Hector intercepted me, saying something about Ranger needing to talk with her. _

_My answer to that was to throw a left uppercut to his jaw. He returned the favor, and within moments, we were in a knock-down-drag-out fight. For some reason, the two of us rubbed each other the wrong way. We exchanged blows, and I was getting the upper hand when he managed to get on top of me. _

_In a cold whisper, he said, "You need to stop now. I'm not a forgiving man. I'm liable to hurt you if you keep going."_

_I sneered. "It would take more than just you to get me to stop."_

_I used a move on him, catching him off balance, and we rolled so I was now on top. His face went cold as ice, and he maneuvered us once again so I was under him, pulling a knife and placing it against my throat. The next instant, he was slumping forward and Stephanie was standing there with a stun gun in her hand. _

_I hadn't even realized that much time had elapsed since the first punch was thrown. _

I was brought back to the present by her gentle caresses on my hand around the bruising. She looked up at me, and there was a glint in her eyes that I knew would spell trouble if I didn't diffuse the situation. I leaned in and smiled. "You stunned him, love. I think that's retribution enough."

"That was before I saw your hands. Now I'm thinking it wasn't enough."

I gently placed my hand on her cheek. "We're all playing nice right now. Let's not rock the boat."

I could see the struggle in her eyes, but she finally nodded. "All right for now, but I reserve the right to take up hostilities if the situation warrants it."

"Duly noted."

We rode the rest of the way to our flat in silence.

**Stephanie's POV**

As we walked up the stairs to our flat, I let my thoughts wander. For some reason, they kept returning to the few moments that Ranger and I were alone on the Eye. My heart felt like it was beating a thousand beats a minute, and I wondered if that was because when everything was said and done, Ranger was one hot guy. Although we seemed friendlier now, I still wouldn't trust him not to revert to asshole status, but at least for now, I'd tolerate him and give him the benefit of the doubt.

After saying good night to Kye, I headed to my room and got ready for bed. Climbing under the covers, I lay there as the scene between Ranger and me played once more in my mind. Kye on the ground with Hector holding a knife to his throat was the last thing I remembered as sleep claimed me.

_The feeling that I was being watched was strong, especially at night. I'd been living in the tree house for three weeks, and as I predicted, no one was even aware that I was missing. Joe had come over earlier and showed me the paper about my dad coming home. Now I just needed to stay here until Daddy was back in Trenton. _

_I sat on the bed, pulling my knees up to my chest as I wrapped my arms around them. I wanted to turn the lamp on, but I knew I couldn't. It would be too easy for one of the neighbors to see it and ask questions. I was so close. I just had to hold out a bit longer. Suddenly, my stomach felt like it was tied in knots, as the creak of someone climbing the ladder was loud in the otherwise still night. I closed my eyes and wished that my friend Joe was with me now. _

_Just as I thought that, there was a shadow on the wall. It was a man's shadow. I worried about whether I should stay where I was or if I should slip out the window and make a run for it. At least if I was on the ground, I'd have a fighting chance. _

_The hiss as someone banged into something in the dark was the deciding factor, and I scurried as best I could through the window. I was slowly making my way down the ladder on the other side when there was an oath overhead and I heard a familiar voice say, "I thought you said the kid was here. I assured the mother I'd handle the problem, dummy. I can't very well kill her if we can't find her."_

_Another voice, also familiar, said, "I know she was here. I saw her and the Morelli boy climbing up here a couple of days ago."_

"_Well, she's not here now. Damn! I really need that money the mother was going to pay us. Come on, let's go. Maybe we can spot her in the neighborhood."_

_I hid in the bushes until after they'd gone and then climbed back up the tree. My heart was beating a million beats a minute, and my stomach felt like it was in my throat as tears slid down my face. My mother wanted me dead. Now what was I going to do? Would I be able to stay alive until Daddy came home? Would he even care?_

I bolted upright in bed as a scream rent the air. It didn't register at first that it was my scream. Suddenly, the light was flicked on, and then Kye was sitting beside me on the bed. His arms wrapped around me as the tears slipped down my cheeks. Damn it! I was twenty-eight years old. When were these damn nightmares going to leave me alone?


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**Stephanie's POV**

We arrived just after eight thirty the next morning. Ranger had said we'd have breakfast in his suite, and knowing what the hotel's kitchen was capable of, I was looking forward to it. I was tired. The nightmares the night before had left me feeling as if I'd gotten absolutely no sleep. Fortunately, a little extra makeup was all I needed to hide that fact.

My knock on the door was answered by Hector. The look on his face as his gaze took in Kye made me uneasy. He backed up to allow us entrance into the suite, and as I moved forward, I heard his low murmur directed to my partner. "I don't know how you did it, but no one stuns me without paying the price."

I turned to see Kye smile at him before he leaned in closer so as not to be overheard and whispered something I wasn't close enough to hear.

There was a heated look in Hector's eyes that made me think the two of them could be lovers if they'd just let down their barriers.

Kye turned to me, wide-eyed, a look of near horror on his face. "Damn, J! I thought you loved me?"

I looked up to see his eyes twinkling with laughter.

I felt my cheeks heat. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

Kye touched a finger to my nose. "Yeah, but it's okay."

Hector was looking at us, puzzled. "You have an open relationship?"

Kye raised an eyebrow. "J and I are friends."

"Friends? Not lovers?"

Kye grinned. He winked at Hector and said, "She's not really my type, although she's beautiful and I would joyfully_ kill_ anyone who hurt her."

Hector gave Kye a once over. "Maybe we should talk about how you might _apologize_ for stunning me."

I rolled my eyes. "He didn't stun you. I did."

Hector's gaze flicked back to me, a sudden coldness in his eyes that told me he was a dangerous enemy.

Before he could say anything, I held up a hand. "You were on top of Kye and had pulled a knife. You were holding it at his throat when I stunned you, and I don't care if you don't like that someone got the better of you. I thought you were going to hurt my friend, and I wasn't going to let that happen. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

He took a step closer to me, but I stood my ground, although I was quaking just a bit. I had the impression that he was one of the most deadly people I'd ever meet.

Kye went to step between us, and I placed my hand on his arm, shaking my head.

Hector's eyes narrowed and he took another step forward.

I stood with my knees locked so they wouldn't give me away by collapsing.

Hector smiled, his brown eyes warm with admiration. "You'll do." He held out his hand, and I placed mine in it. He squeezed gently as he brought my hand up, lowering his head and placing a kiss on the back of my hand.

For some reason, I felt incredibly touched by his actions.

The mood was disturbed by Tank's deep voice asking, "Hector? What's keeping you guys? I'm starving!"

My stomach chose that moment to let out a roar, and Hector's face lit up. He held out his arm, crooked at the elbow for me to take hold of. Once I'd taken hold, we headed into the dining area of the suite. I glanced back to make sure Kye was following. He had a dumbfounded look on his face as he mumbled, "Another one bites the dust."

I didn't have time to ask him what he meant, as we were nearing the table where Ranger and the others were already seated. Hector led me to the chair beside Ranger and made sure I was seated before taking his own place. Kye sat down between Woody and Tank. The food was already on the table, and it looked delicious. For the next twenty minutes, conversation was put on hold while we made inroads into the bounty before us.

We were finishing up, and there was one Boston cream left on the platter. I reached for it at the same time Tank did. We each had a hold of the treat, and our eyes met. There was a look in his eyes that said: _Let go or I'll have to hurt you._

My eyes narrowed and a low growl sounded in the room.

Tank's eyes widened and his hand released the doughnut.

Before he could change his mind, I snatched it up and took a huge bite, closing my eyes as I moaned in pleasure at the delicious tastes in my mouth. When I finished, I looked around to see all eyes were on Hector. Turning to him, I saw that he was glaring at Tank.

Kye's chuckle broke the tension.

Tank looked over at him and asked, "You find this funny?"

Kye shook his head. "No. I call this normal. Now that everyone has had their fill, can we get down to business?"

Tank's eyes narrowed as they moved to me. "Not all of us got everything we wanted for breakfast."

I smiled sweetly. "You could always call down for more. I wouldn't mind another one."

His eyes widened. "Where do you put it? You're maybe what, a hundred pounds, and you ate nearly as much as I did."

I had the impression he would have gone on to say more, but his eyes widened and he swore as he bent to rub his shin. At a guess, I'd say someone kicked him under the table, and looking at the fierce look on Hector's face, I was also guessing that someone was him.

Lester shook his head. "Boys, boys, come on now. We're all friends here, so let's get along."

Tank and Hector both turned to him, speaking at the same time.

"Shut it," Tank growled.

Hector said, "If you want to live, you'll back off."

Ranger turned in my direction, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing to my men, Babe?"

I gave him my best 'Burg-girl glare and replied, "I'm not doing a thing. It's not my fault you haven't taught them how to behave in public."

His eyes narrowed, and I had the feeling he liked that comment even less than he let on. He gave a slight smile, but it didn't reach his eyes as he gave a minute nod of his head. He scooted his chair back and stood. "Let's move this conversation into the sitting area."

Without waiting to see if the rest of us were following, he turned and walked away.

I accepted the hand Kye offered, and we made our way into the lion's den. In our case, it felt more like entering a wild jungle cat's lair. Ranger reminded me more of a black panther than a lion: dark and deadly.

He was seated in the center of the sofa, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think he'd orchestrated it so the rest of the guys would be in their seats and the only two spaces available were on either side of him. There was no way Kye and I could sit beside each other, and none of the others looked like they'd be willing to move. The shit-eating grin on Tank's face before he pulled his blank face had me wondering even more.

I took my seat without complaint and sat forward so I could see the map that Ranger had on the coffee table. I tried to listen to the entire plan, but I was distracted by his close proximity. My doodah was doing a happy dance at being so close to him.

He folded up the map and asked, "Everyone got your script?"

_Shit!_ How was I going to get him to explain it again without admitting I wasn't paying attention? Then I saw it. There on the back of the map was a logo I'd seen before. Reaching out for the map, I took it out of Ranger's hand. Feeling the heat from his narrow-eyed stare as I studied the logo, I finally looked up into his face. "Where did you get this?"

"One of Shep's team gave it to us when we went to the embassy that first day."

I placed my finger over the logo and pressed. There was a high-pitched sound that pierced the air, and I dropped the map to cover my ears.

In a flash, Hector was up out of his chair and moving into another room, presumably a bedroom. On his return, I noticed an odd-looking contraption in his hands, and he used a wand-like device to wave over the logo. It made a clacking noise, and there was a lot of whispered swearing. Holding up a finger up to his lips, he motioned for silence. He took out a small tool that looked a bit like a metal pick and went to work on the map. Several minutes later, he was holding up a thin clear decal logo, which was actually a bug shaped in the pattern of the logo.

He put the square patch in a glass and poured coffee over it. The thing went up in flames and left a cloud of smoke. He smiled, holding his finger to his lips once more, and thoroughly searched the rest of the suite. When he rejoined us, he said, "We're good for now. We need to come up with a different plan, though.

Ranger nodded. His eyes narrowed as he leaned back against the sofa. "All right. This is what we'll do…"

When Kye and I left an hour later, we were on our way to put the operation into motion. Once we'd done our job, we'd meet Shep and Ranger at Buckingham Palace for an audience with the queen.

**Kye's POV**

Stephanie and I made our way down the stairwell to the lobby of the hotel. Our job was to make sure things were put in motion without tipping our hand that the plan was totally different than the one we'd discussed before the listening device was found.

As we walked across the hotel lobby, I placed a hand on the back of Steph's waist. I'd been the big brother for so long that old habits were firmly entrenched. I wanted anyone watching to know that she was protected.

We exited the building, and I noticed the limo from the night before parked in a no parking zone. The driver was leaning against the driver's side door. When we walked out, he straightened, and although he had sunglasses covering his eyes, I could tell by the angle of his face that he was looking at Stephanie. He turned in our direction, opened the back door, and said something to someone inside. Unfortunately, we were too far away to hear what he was saying. He was dressed similarly to last night, only today the sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up.

I stilled as I got a good look at the tattoo on his arm. It was eerily like the logo on the back of the map Ranger had been using. From the slight stiffening of her body, I knew Stephanie had spotted it as well.

We continued moving, not letting on that we were aware of anything out of the norm. At this point, I was reluctant to get in just any black taxi. We didn't want to take a chance on tipping our hand, and we didn't know what avenues they had covered.

I felt a hand on my forearm and looked down to see Stephanie smiling up at me. She motioned to the curb, where there was a taxi waiting, with Tina leaning against the side. There was a grin on her face, and she was waving her hand in the air.

I chuckled. "Looks like that's taken care of."

Steph nodded. "Yeah. You know the only one Tina trusts is Jason."

We made our way over there, and as we neared the vehicle, Tina straightened and opened the back door. She bowed and, with a cheeky grin, said, "After you, m'lady."

We climbed in, with Tina bringing up the rear.

Once she closed the door, Jason looked back at us, asking, "What's the plan?"

Steph looked out the window to where the limo was parked. "Can you lose them without making it look like that's what you are trying to do?"

"You got it."

We moved away from the curb, and after about twenty minutes of driving in circles, Jason turned the taxi in the direction they expected us to go, following the directions I gave him. When we got to the location, he drove past and then doubled back to the area where we were actually going.

The taxi came to a stop, and Tina cleared her throat, causing us to turn in her direction. "I think this is the place you wanted. We'll wait here for five minutes, and then we'll move to the pick-up site. Don't be late. We don't want them getting a close look at the taxi."

Stephanie nodded before opening the door to climb out. I joined her on the sidewalk, and we went to complete our task. Our job was to go to the Zahran Embassy and make it look like we were looking for Prince Raje. It was our hope that King Daje would be listening so we could "accidentally" give them the information that the Americans had the prince. That, of course, was the ruse. Our real task was to get a tracking device on the king, and I had every confidence that Stephanie would excel at that. I just hoped we'd be able to get out once we'd completed our task.

We had taken no more than a dozen steps when three men dressed as Zahran military stepped into our path. The one in the middle took a step forward. "What are your intentions…Agent A, isn't it?"

I nodded. "Yes, I'm Agent A. We've come to see if Prince Raje is here."

The man's eyes narrowed. "As you know, the embassy is a sanctuary of Zahran. Even if he were inside, you would be unable to take him from the premises."

Stephanie stepped forward. "We aren't here to take him in."

One of the guards behind spit in our direction and muttered something about a puta on sacred ground.

Stephanie's hands clenched at her sides, but otherwise, there was no outward sign that she understood what had been said or that it had affected her in any way.

The man in the center barked an order, and the two men fell in line, silently watching.

Stephanie straightened, lifted her chin, and calmly spoke as if she hadn't been interrupted. "The prince was last seen outside Whiskey Mist with a group of Americans. He disappeared, and we wanted to make sure he hadn't come to any harm."

A huge man that was Raje's double stepped into the courtyard. "I have not seen my brother since the royal guard came and told us he was not welcome on English soil and if he were found off the embassy grounds, he would be arrested like a commoner. This is the first we've heard of him being in the company of Americans."

Stephanie's eyes widened, like she'd just realized what she'd let slip. I could see by the king's expression that he was pleased with what he thought was information that wasn't planned to be shared.

Daje stepped forward and took one of Stephanie's hands. His eyes gleamed with whatever sick thought was in his head.

There was a soft whisper of a voice that reached us. "That one is mine. Do not touch unless you wish to forfeit your life."

At that moment, Thor stepped into view, looking lethal. In that moment, I could see why he was feared. One never knew exactly whose side Thor was on. My guess was always his own.

Daje turned and looked at him. For a moment, it looked like he was going to defy Thor. Then, just as suddenly, the look in his eyes changed and he bowed to Thor.

I was aware that while Thor had the king distracted, Stephanie managed to get the tracking device into the king by using the ring on her finger to prick his skin and embed the device at the same time. Daje didn't even seem to register that he'd been pricked.

When he turned back to us, he smiled. "Thank you for coming. I'm sorry I couldn't help you, but be assured, I will leave no stone unturned until I find my brother."

Stephanie nodded. "Please let us know if we can be of any help."

Daje laughed. "Surely you don't think I would ask help from the very people looking to arrest my innocent brother?"

She said nothing; she just looked at him for a couple of seconds before she turned and stepped toward me.

The same man that had spit and called her a name suddenly stepped forward and drew his knife. Before he could act further, Thor was at his side and the man's throat had been slit.

Daje looked at the fallen guard and hissed something in Zahraneese. The other two men dragged their fallen comrade away. Daje looked at us coldly, as if waiting to see what we would do.

Stephanie squinted her eyes and calmly said, "Like I said, let us know if we can be of help." With that, she started to walk away.

I waited for a moment, then Thor motioned minutely with his head, and I turned and followed her back the way we'd come. Once we'd moved away from the embassy, we did some intricate footwork to lose anyone who might be following us. Ten minutes later, we reached the taxi.

Tina was once again standing there waiting for us, hands on her hips and fire in her eyes. When she saw us, the first words out of her mouth were, "I thought I told you five minutes. This is bloody all-to-cock. I thought I was going to have to call in the bobbies to get you all out of there, and there was a strong possibility they would have locked you up in the embassy and done who knows what with you."

Stephanie's face was pale, and I knew she was hurting because in her mind, Thor had once again killed to protect her.

I spoke quietly to Tina, "Save the bollocking, love."

As if she'd just become aware of Stephanie's pale expression and quietness, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her. She whispered something in Stephanie's ear, getting a nod in response. Tina helped her into the cab, and I followed them.

As we traveled away from the embassy, Stephanie kept looking back, shivering. I wrapped her in my arms after the first couple of times. As we neared the city, she looked back once again and screamed.

**Thor's POV**

I watched as A and J made their way from the embassy grounds. I was aware of King Daje's displeasure with his brother's disappearance, but he was excited with the possibility that the agents had let slip the information of who exactly had Prince Raje. What's more, the king was not happy with the fact that I'd claimed J as mine, but it was the only way to protect her from becoming the king's new play toy.

I watched till they were out of sight, more to watch their backs than anything else. Feeling eyes on me, I turned to meet the soulless eyes of the king.

They were narrowed, as if he were studying me to see if I would give him any reaction at his next order.

He sneered. "Mark them so they know I'm watching."

I nodded, careful so as not to give away anything of what I was thinking. I moved over to where the dead man had been moved to and knelt down beside him. In Zahran, they had a very unique way of marking their prey. Although the king had allowed me to claim J, he wanted me to know that she would be watched. The king was hedging his bets. This would give him a foot in the door if anything happened to me. Although he didn't know it, he was tipping his hand. Now it was up to me to figure out which one of his men he'd tasked with making sure I was dead when this was over. I didn't worry about that. I knew my skills, and although I wasn't being careless or over-confident, I was sure I could hold my own with whomever he'd chosen.

Studying the dead body on the ground to decide which part of him would make the most prominent warning, I used the knife to remove it from the body and then stood, moving to the motorcycle I used when I was on an assignment. After first adding the specialized glue that would allow the object to stick on glass, I headed in the direction the agents had taken, and in no time, I caught sight of the taxi. I carefully moved up in traffic beside them and placed the message on the rear window. My hand clenched as I thought of J's reaction. I promised myself that if Ranger didn't get this guy, I was going to draw and quarter Daje before I put him on display for the people of Zahran.

I dropped back and pulled out the camera I always had on me. It was small and easily manipulated one-handed. I took several photos in succession before replacing the small device inside my leather jacket.

I felt a pain in my chest as I watched J turn around and saw the look of horror on her face before she screamed. The monster inside me wanted to hurt someone. I vowed to make sure that someone was King Daje and his loyal guards.

I couldn't go back to the embassy feeling as I did. The king was sure to pick up on the feelings of animosity that were directed his way. Instead, I headed into London proper and decided to visit the Whitechapel district.

I was fascinated with the story of Jack the Ripper and would use any opportunity I had to investigate what might have happened all those years ago. As I pulled my motorcycle into a back alley, I felt the presence behind me and knew I was going to be able to find out who was charged with making sure my number was up when the king was done with my services.

I quickly hid in the darkness of the alley and watched as the man walked unsuspectingly toward me. I had two choices. Kill the man now and send a message to the king, taking the chance that he would just hire someone else to do the job, or I could bide my time, keeping my eye on the man who'd been tapped for the job.

Sure enough, the man following me showed himself. My eyes narrowed as I took in the white cowboy boots the man was wearing. They were incongruent with the rest of his outfit, which was the uniform of a white shirt—the sleeves rolled up—and a pair of black chauffeur's uniform slacks. The tattoo on his right arm caught my attention, and I wondered how many monsters Daje knew besides myself.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

**Stephanie's POV**

I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being followed, and I kept looking back, needing to reassure myself that we were moving away from the feeling of evil that surrounded King Daje. My skin crawled when I was anywhere near him, and I for one would be thrilled when the bastard was firmly in hand and my part of this whole thing was done. I lost count of the number of times I'd turned around to look behind us, but when I turned once more, I got a good look at the face of the dead guard as his head landed face down on the rear window. I couldn't stop the scream that escaped.

Kye's oath told me he was aware of the situation as well. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder and turned to hide my face in his chest.

I knew what this meant. The king wanted us to know that he was watching us, and he wanted everyone else to know that he could get to us at any time. I had no intention of letting this keep me from the job I knew I had to do. I sat up and caught a split-second glance at the man on the motorcycle following us. I smiled grimly. He was the only one with enough skill to get to anyone, anywhere. I suspected Ranger and his men were just as capable, but I knew they were working with us on this one, and Thor was the only one working on the other side so he could slip us the necessary intel. I would definitely owe him when this was over.

I noticed the frown on Tina's face as we made a mad dash through the streets of London. "What's wrong?"

She turned to face me. "I just don't want anything bad to happen to Jason for helping me. I didn't think of the possibilities when I dragged him into this."

Jason snorted from the front seat.

He was looking at us in the rearview mirror. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, lovie. Don't worry about that head there. Although, it's sticking to the taxi, when it should have fallen right off the back window."

I sighed. "That's Thor's doing. He probably put super glue or some other sticky substance on the bloody thing so when it hit the window, it would stick. It's like a gang marking its territory in the States. We have to make sure no one associates us with the head."

Jason swore. "I think I might know a way of making that happen."

I grinned. "That would be good."

He nodded. "Hang onto your butts." He burst out laughing, and we all looked at him as if he might have gone off the deep end, before he continued, "I've always wanted to say that. Ever since _Jurassic Park_ came out."

I rolled my eyes and replied, "Just as long as you make sure no one can trace us to the car. When A and I get back to headquarters, we'll make sure the car is found."

Jason frowned. "They'll put me with the car right off. It's registered as my hire car."

Tina snorted. "Just call it in stolen."

Jason nearly sideswiped another car as he turned to look at her. "I could lose my job if I did that. It's signed out to me."

My eyes narrowed. "What make and model is this car?"

"It's the latest model. A two thousand thirteen Volkswagen Up."

I looked over at Kye, silently asking a question.

Kye winced before giving me an answering nod.

Turning back to Jason, I said, "I know where there's a car you can use as a replacement. We'll ditch this one and wipe it clean of everything, and then we'll get you set up in the other vehicle."

Jason hesitated. After several tense seconds, he sighed. "We don't really have a choice, do we, love?"

"Not really. But at least this way, you can put it off on someone else trying to pull a fast one on you if anyone finds out, and it would be very bad if they did."

"Well then, we just need to make sure no one does."

Three hours later, we'd disposed of the black cab that Jason was driving and made our way back into London. We went a roundabout way, making sure we weren't followed, and once we were in the clear, we took Jason to the garage where the other vehicle was being stored.

Kye had us wait a short distance away while he went in, driving the car back to where we were waiting. We piled in and headed for an old abandoned warehouse on the docks. We went to work on altering the vehicle so it was a twin of the car Jason had disposed of.

It was a long, tedious process to get the car outfitted so that no one would be able to tell the difference between the car that we were looking at and the one that we'd left behind. To make sure that no one would find out, Jason attached the piece de resistance.

It was while Tina and I were polishing the back that she stepped in closer to me and said, "Steph, I need to tell you… After all of you left the other night and I was closing up the club, I overheard Henry talking with Critter. I saw Henry hand him a wad of money, and he told Critter that he did his part, even though the prince got pinched. He told Critter the king would triple it if he could tell him where his brother was being taken. Critter told Henry he'd know as soon as he himself found out."

My eyes narrowed. With the photo I'd seen of Critter and Henry together in Millicent's flat, this piece of information was what I needed to prove Critter was the mole in the office. I'd need to be careful in how I passed this information on. After all, if Henry found out someone saw him paying off Critter, he'd go after Tina as the likely witness.

Once we were done fitting out the car, we piled inside, and Jason drove us back to the hotel so we could collect our bikes and make our way home.

I was willing to leave the bikes there, but if we did that, then people might question why they were there all night instead of just the eight hours they'd already been there. We had our story all ready, and when Jason let us out several blocks from the hotel, we waved goodbye to our friends and started walking in the direction of the hotel.

As Kye and I neared the Park Plaza County Hall, I had the impression we were being watched. I glanced around without making it look like I was searching for anyone. We were nearly to the door when I caught movement from the corner of my eye and worked it so I was able to look in that direction without anyone suspecting anything.

I felt a cold chill race down my spine as I got a good look at the man watching us from the shadows. Without stopping to explain, I tugged on Kye's hand and got us into the lobby of the hotel post haste.

We had just entered the hotel when Hector stepped up to us, placing a finger to his lips, and indicated we should follow him. When we got up to the penthouse suite, he opened the door, motioning for us to precede him inside.

Ranger was sitting in a chair, facing the door. He was leaned back with his arms resting on the arms of the chair, and his eyes were narrowed, one ankle resting on the knee of the other leg.

The door clicked shut behind us, making me feel as if I'd been summoned before the principal as Tank and Lester walked into the room.

Ranger motioned to a piece of paper on the coffee table in front of him.

I rolled my eyes before moving forward to see what he was in such a snit about. I picked up the photo, and there for the world to see was the head attached to the rear window of the black cab. Our only saving grace was the tinted windows so no one actually knew who was inside.

I tossed the photo back on the table and shrugged. "We knew this was going to be dodgy. After all, both men are rotters."

Ranger looked up till his gaze met mine. I felt the tingle on the back of my neck and had to force myself not to put my hand up and rub the area. This was a Ranger I hadn't come face to face with before. From the background search I'd run on him with my father's search program, I knew the man before me was the most dangerous man I'd yet to meet. I now understood why the general had said this man had the ability to make a hardened general shit his pants when confronted with his inner beast.

I did the best I could to look relaxed, not letting on that I was affected in any way. When he stood abruptly and stepped toward where Kye and I were standing, I locked my knees in place so they wouldn't betray the true extent of how I was holding up.

I felt Kye's hand on my lower back and flicked a grateful look in his direction.

Ranger stopped directly in front of me. His hands were down at his sides, but our fronts were pressed up against each other. He was looking down at me.

The tingling was magnified. I felt the effect of him all the way to my doodah.

Without turning away from me, he said, "Agent A, why don't you go with Hector and see what Woody has learned about the man following the two of you."

My eyes widened slightly.

Kye stood where he was.

Ranger turned and drilled him with a cold look. "That wasn't a request. If you're going to take part in this plan, you need to follow orders."

Kye looked to me, and I nodded, letting him know I would be just fine. He looked over to Ranger and replied, "I'm sure you would do no less in making sure your partner was protected."

Ranger gave a slight nod. "Duly noted."

I watched as Kye and Hector left the room. As if by magic, once the door closed, Tank and Lester seemed to vanish as well.

Turning back to Ranger, I could see that his eyes had dilated and he'd moved a fraction closer, if that were possible. I felt the excitement of his nearness as he leaned down and whispered, "These men aren't playing games, Babe. Daje has marked you to let you know he can get to you anytime, anywhere. Thor might be working this from the inside, but when it comes right down to it, he'll sacrifice you for the mission."

I closed my eyes, once again seeing the head of the dead man against the window of the taxi. After a second's pause, I opened my eyes as I lifted my head to meet his gaze. "I think we managed to make sure no one will know just who was marked by that head."

He leaned in closer, his hot breath wafting onto my cheek and neck as he said, "You'd better hope that you did. Otherwise, all of you could wind up dead before this is over."

I rolled my eyes and went to make a smart comeback, but I didn't have a chance. He swooped down and took me by surprise. His lips covered mine as he greedily took possession of my mouth. After the first initial shock of surprise, my arms went around his neck, and I didn't even think to put the brakes on when he lifted me in his arms and moved through the suite.

The first hint I had that we'd moved from our position was the softness of the bed beneath me. Ranger followed me down, and I felt his body press into mine. All the animosity I'd felt for him seemed to evaporate, and I knew it was these feelings of attraction that I'd been fighting all along.

I was lost in the heat of our kiss until I felt a sudden coolness, and then his hand was on my breast. I stilled and tried to pull back, but his mouth continued its sweet torment of mine. It wasn't until I felt his hand inside my shorts that reality set in and I struggled in earnest.

Ranger paused and moved back so he could look down at me. I used the opportunity to bring my arms up, covering my exposed breasts. At first, I thought he might not pay attention to the halt I'd put on things. Then his expression changed to a sneer and he pushed himself off me and stood. There was derision in his eyes as he said, "I didn't take you for a tease, Babe."

Even though he never touched me, I felt the slap all the same. I lifted my chin as I hardened my gaze. "And I didn't take you for some randy teenager who can't keep it in his pants. Guess we were both wrong on this one."

He made a move, and for a second, I thought he was going to do something we'd both regret. He seemed to get hold of himself rather quickly, clenching his hands he moved away from the bed. He pulled his billfold out of his pocket and opened it, fingering several bills before pulling them out and stopping at the dresser. Without turning around, he set the money on the dresser and said, "I know we didn't finish, but this is for services rendered. Of course, next time, I'll expect to get my money's worth."

Without looking back to see if his words had hit their mark, he walked out of the room.

I wanted to curl up and die, but I forced myself to get off the bed and quickly dressed. Once I was sure my appearance was beyond reproach, I left the bedroom, not even glancing at the dresser with the wad of bills on it, and headed for the exit.

I wanted done with this damn job and everything—and everyone—connected. I would be happy if I never set eyes on the king, prince, and especially that bastard Manoso ever again. All that was left for Kye and me to do was to stop at Whiskey Mist to make sure the trap was set, and then we were done. Manoso and his crew would then make a show of leaving London and taking Raje back to the States.

I was relieved not to run into anyone as I made my way from the suite. I did hear Lester talking on the phone, and at the mention of my friend's name, I could only hope that he wasn't as big of a bastard as his boss. I'd let Tina know to be careful, but whether she wanted to see him or not would be up to her.

As I shut the door behind me, the elevator doors opened. Woody and Kye stepped out, and one look at my partner's face told me he knew something was wrong, but my need to get away was too strong, and I didn't even stop to say anything to them. As I entered the elevator, I heard Kye call for me to wait up. I kept going.

The doors opened on the lobby room floor, and I hurried toward the exit. I'd just stepped out of the building when a flash caught my eye. I turned and, at the last minute, ducked as a shot rang out.

**Tina's POV**

Jason dropped me off at the building of flats where I lived and waited till I made my way inside. I turned and waved to him before shutting the door and making my way up to my flat. I was a bit hungry after that little excursion we'd gone on, and as there was still an hour before dinnertime, I decided to have a cuppa and biscuit. Any more, and my appetite would be ruined. I wandered through to the kitchen and put the teapot under the faucet before filling it and placing it back on the burner. I lit the burner, and while that was heating, I looked in the biscuit jar and picked out a peanut butter cookie, rather than one of the scones. I took a bite and closed my eyes in bliss as I chewed the gooey treat. It was so soft, it melted in my mouth.

I was just finishing my snack when the kettle started to whistle. I grabbed a cup and placed one of my homemade teabags in the mug before pouring the steaming water in over it. The aroma was heavenly.

Taking my drink with me, I made my way into the sitting area and took a seat on the sofa. I was just starting to relax when my phone rang. I maneuvered so I could pull it out of my rear pocket and was a bit breathless by the time I clicked the connect button. "Hello?"

"Tina?"

My insides melted at the sound of his voice. Trying not to sound as if I'd been waiting for his call, I paused a moment before asking, "Who's this?"

There was a low chuckle, as if he knew what game I was playing. "This is Lester, gorgeous. I wanted to know if you were free for dinner tonight. We'll be leaving soon for the States, and first, I wanted to take you on that date we talked about."

I was of two minds: excited because he'd called me for a date, and sad that we'd only have the one time together. Taking my time to give the impression I was looking through my calendar, I waited several seconds before saying, "It's your lucky night. It just so happens I don't have any plans tonight."

He chuckled once more, and I felt the reaction clear to my core. "I'm glad to hear that. Anyplace in particular you'd like to go?"

I hesitated and then sighed, deciding to go for the realistic choice, but before I could say anything more, Lester broke in with, "I really want the one place you'd like to go. I want to make this a memory you won't want to forget."

My heart melted, and instead of giving him the place I'd decided on that wouldn't break the bank, I admitted, "Scott's. It's in Mayfair on Mount Street. I have to warn you, though… It's extremely expensive."

He chuckled. "I'll pick you up in half an hour."

I hesitated. I never let anyone pick me up. Having Cam for a brother had taught me several key things in protecting myself. "I have a better idea. I'll arrange for the taxi, and we'll pick you up in route."

He paused for a moment and then said, "All right, Tina. I'll see you in half an hour, then."

I hung up and carefully set my mug of tea on the coffee table. I quickly called Jason and asked him about the ride to Scott's, then I jumped up and ran into the bedroom to find something appropriate to wear to one of _the_ most elegant places I would ever go in my lifetime. I decided on a tight little red number that barely covered the essentials and made me look hot. I took as long as possible with my hair and makeup, and twenty minutes later, I was walking out the door to see Jason sitting in his taxi waiting for me.

He got out of the cab and walked around to help me inside, winking at me before he closed the door, telling me, "You look beautiful."

I grinned and told him, "You're good for my ego. I just hope my date likes it."

Jason rounded the vehicle, and once he was seated, he looked over his shoulder and asked, "Where to first?"

"The Park Plaza County Hall Hotel, James, and step on it."

Jason threw his head back, laughing, and I couldn't help but to join in. When he pulled up at the hotel, I noticed there was an ambulance parked in front of the hotel and Stephanie was being loaded onto a gurney. As soon as Jason came to a stop, I was out of the taxi and running as best as I could in five-inch heels to get to my friend.

I stopped at the gurney and was reassured to see Steph was awake and looking ready to give someone a bollocking. I couldn't help but smile as I laid a hand on the arm that wasn't bandaged and asked, "Are you okay? Do you need me to go to the hospital with you?"

She rolled her eyes. "No. I know you don't like them any more than I do. A will go with me." She paused, as if debating on whether or not to tell me something.

I bent lower and asked, "What?"

"Be careful. If he's anything like his boss, he's a real bastard. But I know how much you want to go out with him."

I nodded. "I'll be careful."

I stepped back and Stephanie's gaze hardened.

I turned to see that Ranger had made his way over to see what was going on. Stephanie looked up at Kye, and there was a look in her eyes that made my heart hurt. I knew then that Ranger must have messed up big time. Kye winked at her and moved so she wasn't visible to Ranger anymore. The medics lifted her into the back of the bus, and Kye went to climb in with her.

Ranger's tone was icy as he said, "Hold on. I'll be riding with her."

Kye stiffened and turned to Ranger with murder in his eyes. "Our part in your little plan is done. I don't want you to come near her again. Next time, I might forget that we're all Americans."

Kye got into the back and motioned for the doors to be shut.

Ranger's eyes were narrowed as he watched the ambulance leave.

I left him there as I made my way back to where Jason was waiting at the back door of the cab.

Lester stepped forward and quietly asked, "Are you still willing to go?"

I turned to him and my eyes went wide. He was every woman's wet dream, in a black suit with a charcoal gray shirt and black tie. I lifted my hand to the tie and gently pulled him closer. I raised my head and whispered in his ear, "You aren't getting out of our date that easily, big boy." Then my eyes narrowed on him as I drilled him with my gaze. "But if your answers to my questions don't make me happy, I'll drop you on your ass and walk away without a backward glance."

His look turned wary. "What kind of questions?"

I waved my hand in the direction the ambulance had taken. "What happened to J?" I knew if it were serious, he would look a lot more upset, but I was still worried about my friend.

"I promise I'll tell you everything I can on the way to the restaurant."

Our gazes met, and the heat in his eyes fanned an answering heat inside me. Hoping I wasn't letting my libido make me do something I'd regret, I nodded in agreement.

The sound of a throat clearing sounded beside us, and I turned to see Jason waiting with the door opened. My cheeks heated, and I ducked into the back seat and waited for Lester to join me. There was a whisper of space between us as we rode to the restaurant. The heat emanating from Lester had my hormones sitting up and taking notice. At times, it was difficult to concentrate on what he was telling me about what had happened to Stephanie.

It wasn't long until Lester grinned down at me, saying, "I think we're here."

I looked around, and sure enough, Jason had the door opened and was waiting for us to climb out of the car. Once more, my cheeks heated. I lifted my head and let him help me out of the car. Lester climbed out and placed a hand on my lower back as we headed inside.

It was everything I'd always imagined it would be. The room was slightly darkened, and there were chandeliers lighting the dining area. The tables were covered with white tablecloths, and the china was a bold red with gold trim. There were flowers in the center of every table, with a candle on either side of the bouquet. We were immediately shown to a table, and Lester seated me before taking his own place across from me.

I felt like Cinderella at the ball. Before this moment, I'd only dreamed about coming to a place like this. I couldn't help but pinch my arm a bit to see if I was still dreaming.

Lester chuckled before taking my hand in his. "I'm glad that we got to do this before I have to leave."

I grinned. "So am I. I have to say, Mr. Santos… You clean up mighty fine."

His shoulders shook silently for several seconds.

When the waiter brought us the menu, I looked over it, frowning. I had no idea what the prices were because the printer forgot them on my menu. Lester asked me what I wanted to try, and we discussed the merits of different items. When our waiter returned, Lester gave him our choices, and he moved off to put in our order.

I was starting the evening off with a Serpentini cocktail, which consisted of champagne, Stoli raspberry and vanilla, and cranberry and pineapple juices. Lester went with a Black Velvet, which was champagne and Guinness. When the drinks arrived, I took a sip, and it was so good that I couldn't help but pull a Stephanie and moan.

As we made our way through the meal, we talked about a variety of subjects, from which teams we liked in what sports, to politics, and on to hobbies; we even touched on the jobs we do. As we talked, we worked our way through our starters of marinated salmon with avocado and black pepper dressing, then on to the soup course, which was chilled sweetcorn soup with lobster, then onto mains, which was roasted shellfish for two. It had lobster, scallops, razor clams, and tiger prawns. That was followed by the meat course, which was a Bannockburn rib steak with béarnaise sauce and chips, and broccoli with hazelnut butter as a side. For dessert, we opted for a vanilla sorbet with raspberries on top and a dessert coffee to accompany it.

When we were finally done and it was time for us to leave, Lester helped me from my chair, and we made our way to the exit. Jason was waiting when we went outside.

At the hotel, Lester turned to me, kissing me gently on the lips. "I wish I could see you safely home, gorgeous. I guess this will have to do."

His mouth covered mine, and I felt myself slide a bit in the seat. When he let me up several minutes later, it was all I could do to remember I didn't put out on the first date. I looked up at Lester with a sense of stunned awe. He was so incredibly hot.

He leaned down and kissed me once more, then said, "I'll be seeing you again." He touched a finger to my lips, and before I knew it, he was gone.

Jason asked quietly, "Are you all right?"

I nodded my head, too stunned to say anything else.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

**Stephanie's POV**

_I was running. I felt them closing in behind me, and I knew I needed to get to my friend Joe before they caught me. My lungs felt like they were on fire and I needed to stop, but if I did, I knew they would catch me. A shot rang out, and I felt something sting my arm, but I kept going. I was worried Joe wouldn't know where to find me if I wasn't in the tree-house, but when I heard those men, I couldn't stay there any longer. Why would Mother send them to dispose of me, and what exactly did that mean? Had she really asked them to kill me? That's what I took dispose of to mean. Was I wrong?_

_When I heard them talking as they neared the tree-house, I knew I had to get out of there. Now if I could just find Joe's house in the dark, I might be home free. All of a sudden, my ankle turned and I went down. I was breathing so hard, I felt like they'd be on me in seconds._

_I lay still and tried to be as quiet as possible. I heard them coming closer. I knew those voices, but I couldn't quite remember where I'd seen the men before. I knew they were the ones that had come for me once before, but I'd been able to make them think I wasn't in the tree house. They were slowing down, as if they knew I was hiding on the ground somewhere. I crossed my fingers and lifted my head to heaven, thinking, Please,_ God. Don't let them find me.

_One of them said, "Where did she go, man?"_

"_I don't know. Let's span out, and maybe we can find her."_

"_Shit! I'm not going back and telling Helen that an eight-year-old girl outsmarted us."_

"_If we want paid, we need to make sure the kid can't talk to anybody."_

_I put my hands over my mouth to keep myself from saying anything. I was shivering. It was chilly out tonight, even though it was closing in on the beginning of summer. I didn't have a jacket with me because Mother hadn't gotten around to going through Valerie's old clothes to see what might fit me for the fall._

_When I felt a nose in my privates, I about jumped out of my skin. It was a good thing I had my hand over my mouth so I didn't scream or anything. I knew it was Joe's dog, Bob—part Golden Retriever, part who knows what—a lovable, big old orange companion, that was sniffing around and licking my face. I had to bite my cheeks so I didn't make a sound. _

_I caught a sound and stiffened. Bob lay down on top of me, stretching out so he covered me from the top of my head to my feet. When he got done, no part of me was visible. _

_A light shone in our direction, and then there was swearing. "It's just a dumb old dog. Come on. We have to find that kid. I told Helen she was wrong about that tree house in Bella's backyard the last time she had us coming over here. Maybe we should talk to the sister. She might know where her sister has gone."_

"_Are you nuts? Helen dotes on that girl."_

"_Well, how was I to know? I figured she felt the same about both rugrats."_

_There was a cynical laugh. "Not hardly."_

"_Any idea why she hates this kid?"_

"_It's none of our business…"_

"_Aw, come on Morty. You have to have some idea."_

_There was a pause, and then the guy that must be named Morty said, "Well, rumor has it that Helen was already pregnant when she married Frank. And we all know who she had a thing for. Of course, I don't know for sure."_

_There was silence for several seconds before the one guy said, "Let's go. We aren't going to find her around here. Like I said, more than likely Helen was wrong thinking this might be where the kid was. After all, most kids are scared of Bella and won't go near her."_

"_Yeah. Let's go."_

_I heard them leaving and stayed where I was for a bit longer. I didn't want them coming back and finding me. Just as I was deciding if I should move or not, a whistle rent the air, and Bob lifted his head and let out a deep woof. _

_Less than a minute later, Joe was kneeling beside us. "Are you all right, Steph?"_

_I nodded, even knowing there was no way for Joe to see me in the dark. _

_He must not have bought it, because he helped me to sit up and then wrapped me in his arms. "Tell me the truth. What's wrong?"_

_I shrugged. After a brief silence, I thought I had control of my voice enough to say, "I heard them talking. My mother wants them to kill me."_

_Although I couldn't see, I knew there was a shocked look on Joe's face. He hugged me closer and said, "This is serious. I think we should go talk to my mom."_

_I was more scared than I wanted to let on. I was worried that the guys after me might hurt Joe or someone else if they helped me. _

_As if he knew what I was thinking, Joe leaned his forehead against mine and said, "You forget. The whole town is afraid of my godfather. They won't try to hurt any of us for fear that he'll fit them for cement shoes and drop them in the ocean."_

_I nodded, not sure whether he was speaking the truth or just joking around and trying to reassure me. "Okay."_

_Joe stood and helped me up. He took hold of my hand and kept it in his as we made our way the nine blocks to his house. When we stepped inside the house, it was warm and inviting, with low lighting. The sound of the TV was there, but not blaring. Joe led the way into the living room, where his mother was sitting in a rocking chair watching the TV. _

_She looked up and frowned when we entered the room. "Joe Morelli, have you been out after dark after I told you not to go out tonight?" _

_Joe lifted his head proudly and replied, "Yes ma'am. I had to check on Stephanie."_

_Angie Morelli turned to me. She let her gaze go over me, and there was a softness in her eyes as she asked, "Are you all right, Stephanie?"_

_I felt the tears burn at the backs of my eyes as I fought to keep them from falling. Her kindness was my undoing. I turned to hide my face, but Mrs. Morelli stood and walked over to us. She hugged me close to her and told me that I was safe now and no one would hurt me._

_The dam broke, and I told her about the two men and what I'd heard them saying. She stood there rocking me back and forth as I let everything through the gates I'd kept firmly locked until this point. When I finished, she continued holding me and told Joe that it was his bedtime and to go on up to bed. _

_He stopped and placed his hand on my arm. "Don't worry, Steph. I won't let them hurt you."_

_When we were alone, Mrs. Morelli led me into the kitchen and told me to sit down as she fixed me an omelet and toast. When they were ready, she set a glass of milk in front of me and sat down beside me. I ate slowly, knowing what would happen if I put too much in my stomach too quickly. I had to quit long before I wanted to, but my stomach was too full to go on. _

_Joe's mom frowned when she looked at the plate, and I felt my cheeks heat in embarrassment. "I'm sorry I'm wasting so much food. I'm really full, though." A thought occurred to me, and I added, "It was delicious."_

_There were tears in her eyes as she gave me a gentle smile. "Don't you worry about a thing. You're just fine." She seemed at a loss for words for a moment, then continued. "Don't you worry. Pretty soon, you'll be able to eat that and not think twice about it. Come on. I'll show you where you'll be sleeping."_

_I bit my lip. "You won't get in trouble for letting me stay here, will you?"_

_She touched my cheek. "No, baby. I won't get into trouble at all."_

_She tucked me into bed, and when she got to the door, I asked, "Can I have the light on for a bit?"_

_She nodded and left the light on she continued out the door._

I blinked, struggling through the fog of sleep to wake up. The pain in my arm was throbbing, and I searched for an answer to find the reason for that. Suddenly, the memory of walking through the hotel lobby doors onto the street, seeing the flash of movement, and knowing I needed to get down, hearing the shot ring out, and then the searing pain as my arm landed on something sharp…again! It was the same arm that had been hurt the night we took Prince Raje into custody.

I opened my eyes to see Kye kneeling beside me, his weapon out as he searched the surrounding area while he kept one hand checking the pulse in my neck. When I opened my eyes, he gave a sigh of relief and asked, "Are you okay? Did you get hit?"

I grimaced. "No. But I think I re-opened the arm you took care of the other night. I landed on something sharp."

Woody chose that moment to join us. "I had the concierge call for an ambulance. It should be here any minute."

I growled. "I don't need an ambulance."

Kye caressed my cheek. "No arguments."

I gave him my best 'Burg-girl glare, and he had the nerve to laugh.

"You forget. I know you too well to be bothered by a little frown."

I didn't get the chance for much else, because the ambulance arrived and I was loaded onto a stretcher. As they were getting ready to load me inside the bus, Tina ran up and asked what had happened. I assured her I was okay and she didn't need to come with me. I debated on whether or not I should warn her about Lester. She must have sensed my indecision, because she told me to spill it. I limited my warning to telling her to be careful and mentioned I thought Ranger was a bastard.

When she stepped back, I caught sight of the devil himself, and my gaze hardened. I looked up at Kye, silently asking for help. When Ranger said he'd ride with me, Kye informed him that since our part in his plan was done, he didn't want Ranger coming near me again, then he climbed in the back of the ambulance with me and we were on our way.

Once we arrived at the hospital, it didn't take long for the emergency room doctor to sew me up and wrap my arm. Once he'd finished, we called for a cab and made our way back to our flat. It had been a long day, and I was ready for it to be over.

Kye waited until we were safely ensconced in our flat before he told me about the shooter. Seemed Woody was able to locate the gunman, and Hector had taken care that anyone else thinking to come after me would have something to think about if they were to try. I didn't ask for the particulars. I already had enough guilt because of Thor. We headed for our own rooms after that, and once I climbed into bed, I was asleep within minutes.

It seemed like I'd only been sleeping for a few minutes when I heard Kye's voice calling me to wake up. I groaned. Damn it! I'd just gotten to sleep. It couldn't possibly be morning. A deep, masculine chuckle alerted me to the fact that I'd probably said that out loud. I sighed and squinted my eyes open, only to find the room was lit by my bedside lamp. A quick look at the alarm told me it had only been two hours since I'd climbed into bed. Somebody was going to die.

Kye's chuckle turned into a deep-throated laugh. "I'm sorry, love. But the doctor wanted me to make sure to wake you every two hours. That's the norm with a concussion."

I glared. "The bloody doctor wouldn't know a thing about the concussion if some blooming idiot hadn't gone and told him I was out when they found me." I moved to see Kye better, and pain shot through my head.

His eyes grew serious. "Are you okay?"

I closed my eyes. "I will be. What's on the agenda for later today?"

Kye studied me for several seconds before running a hand through his hair. "We have the day off."

I rolled my eyes and groaned at the flash of pain.

Kye placed his hand on the side of my head. "You deserve a day off."

I sighed. "You realize it will only mean we have more work to do the day after tomorrow."

"The chief constable doesn't have another case to put us on at the moment. We have a small breather now that we're done with our part of the King Daje operation."

At the mention of Daje, my thoughts turned to Ranger. My jaw clenched as I thought about what that bastard had done.

"Talk to me, Steph. What happened?"

I hesitated, but then told him everything. When I got to the part where Ranger left money and what he'd said, there was a look in Kye's eyes that I hadn't seen since he'd come home to find that Dickie Orr had broken into our apartment.

He stood and turned his back to me. "Get some sleep. I'll be back to wake you again in two hours."

Something about the way he said that made my stomach queasy, but I was already closing my eyes when the room darkened and I heard the door quietly shut. The next thing I knew, I was once again hearing Kye's voice calling me to wake up. I fluttered my lashes open to find he was sitting beside me on the bed.

One look was enough to know he'd been in a vicious fight. One eye was nearly swollen shut, and there were other bruises. In my concern for him, I forgot to move slowly and bolted upright in the bed, causing extreme pain to shoot through my skull. I clasped my head between my hands and moaned.

Kye wrapped me in his arms and whispered, "Easy, love."

"What happened?"

Kye sighed. "You're not going to drop this, are you?"

"Not till I get answers."

I leaned back to see his face better.

He fidgeted. "I went to pay Manoso a visit. I explained there are certain ways we don't treat ladies."

My eyebrows rose. "If you look like this, what does he look like?"

Kye grinned. "Let's just say it was a draw. Tank and Hector broke up the fight, or I'm sure we'd still be going at it."

I reached up and gently touched his bruised face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you. I never meant for you to get hurt."

Kye leaned down and kissed my forehead. "You're my little sister. I had to let him know that his treatment of you wasn't okay."

I scooted over, patting the mattress beside me. "Why don't you lie down and get some sleep. You're going to be hurting in the morning too."

Kye studied me for several seconds, and I wondered if my need for human contact was written on my face somehow. He did lie down beside me and then wrapped me in his arms before turning out the light. He kissed my forehead and said, "Go to sleep. I'll keep you safe."

The next time I woke, I was alone in my bed and the aroma of coffee was wafting nearer. I'd just sat up when Kye stepped over the threshold with a mug in each hand, steam billowing up from the cups. He handed me one of the mugs, and I smiled when I saw the whipped cream with chocolate drizzled on top.

I took a sip of the hot liquid and moaned as the flavors melded in my mouth. Once I'd swallowed the liquid, I turned to Kye and winced.

He chuckled. "I look that bad?"

"What did he hit you with?"

"His fists. Apparently, he's an expert in hand-to-hand combat. When Tank walked me down to the lobby, he was impressed I'd managed to do as much damage as I had. Once he'd heard what the bloody bastard had done, he wasn't any happier with Manoso than I was."

I rolled my eyes at the thought of other people knowing what had happened. "I'd just like to sink my head in the sand till this all blows over."

"We're due for a vacation. You have somewhere in mind?"

I looked at Kye and suggested, "Trenton?"

He studied me for several seconds before asking, "Shall I clear it with headquarters?"

I gave it careful consideration before nodding my head and agreeing. "I think it's time to go home for a while."

Kye squeezed my thigh. "I'll go call the boss."

I leaned back against the headboard and enjoyed my coffee. I was just setting the cup on the nightstand when Kye walked back into the room with a frown on his face.

I narrowed my eyes on him as I asked, "What's up?"

He shook his head. "The boss thinks it's a good idea to get you out of London for a bit."

My stomach was doing summersaults. "And why is that?"

"Do you remember the Whitechapel case that we worked? It seems there might be a copycat out there somewhere."

I shuddered, remembering the photos of the women that had been murdered over the course of an eight-month timespan while Kye and I searched for answers. When we'd caught the man responsible, it hadn't seemed finished somehow. I wondered again if the man that we'd caught was truly the one we were after or just a copycat. I'd wanted to continue looking, but the chief had told us to let it lie. To appease us, he'd asked one of his men, Snap, to keep tabs on the area.

"Is there a reason he doesn't want us to investigate this case?"

Kye's gaze met mine. For a minute, I didn't think he was going to answer, but then he said, "Apparently there's a shrine set up in one of the buildings. There was a photograph found of a woman on the altar of the shrine."

The sick feeling in the pit of my stomach told me where this was going, but I just had to ask. "Whose picture was it?"

Kye's eyes held mine. After several seconds, he said, "Yours."

I shivered. _Damn_!

Several hours later, I looked out the window as we flew over the Atlantic Ocean. It was a beautiful view, and I really loved the feeling of flying. Unfortunately, that joy was tempered with the unnatural fear of plummeting into the ocean from thirty thousand feet. I had a death grip on the arm rests, convinced that my hold on them was all that was holding the plane in the sky.

Kye's hand rested on mine as he leaned in to whisper, "Smile and look up into my face adoringly. Manoso is heading this way."

I did as Kye asked like an automation. I wasn't even surprised when Kye's mouth covered mine in what looked like a passionate kiss. We'd pretended to be lovers before, and we were good at it because we were so close. As a matter of fact, Kye and Joe were the only two men I felt comfortable playing that role with. Although I'd played Thor's girlfriend and we'd made it look incredibly realistic, it was uncomfortable. I think it's because I sensed a hunger in Thor that was missing with Kye and Joe.

I felt the heat of Ranger's gaze on me, and as much as I wanted to ignore him, another part of me wanted to look. Thank goodness for Kye. He kept me diverted until Manoso had walked past where we were sitting and moved toward the back of the plane.

With all the flights leaving London for the States, the odds that we would land on the same plane were astronomical. Yet here we were, not only on the same plane, but until we were already in the air, I hadn't been aware of their presence. Well, if I discounted the fact that my neck had been tingling ever since I'd stepped foot on the plane, then I could say I had no clue.

_It wasn't until I came out of the bathroom that I saw Ranger leaning against the opposite wall of the plane as he talked with the svelte blond stewardess. The minute I saw him, I stiffened. The damage that Kye had done to his face was evident. It looked just as bad as my partner's. Although the woman looked like she was more than capable of taking care of herself, I couldn't resist saying, "Got to watch that one. He's a real bastard."_

_Both of them turned to look at me. Ranger looked like he'd love nothing better than to put his hands around my neck and snap it in two. The woman lifted an eyebrow and looked down her pointy nose at me. I shrugged and headed back to my seat._

Just my luck, the flight attendant I'd given the warning to just happened to be in our section. She was all nicey-nice to Kye, but treated me like a leper. Kye had taken to giving all our requests to avoid bloodshed after I said that the next time, I'd snatch her bald.

About forty minutes later, I needed to make a trip to the back of the plane. I stood, preparing to make my way back to one of the toilets, and noticed a man sitting a couple of rows behind us. My eyes narrowed slightly at the topsy-turvy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Once I was standing in the aisle, I leaned down to whisper in Kye's ear. "The man two seats behind and in the middle row of seats… There's something about him."

I watched as he pulled out his pen, which doubled as a camera. I moved slightly so he could snap off a couple of pictures, and once he'd replaced the pen, I made my way back to the restrooms. As I neared the area where the flight attendants were, I heard sounds of a heavy make-out session. I rolled my eyes and did my best to ignore what was going on.

I took care of nature's call before exiting the confined space, and as I did so, the curtain pulled back in the area where the flight attendants did whatever it was they did. There for all to see was a shirtless Ranger and the blond I'd given the warning to earlier.

I felt my face heat and refused to meet their eyes as I turned to go.

Ranger took hold of my arm and smirked. "What's your hurry? After all, isn't this your kind of scene? Jeanne Ellen won't mind sharing, will you?"

The blond snorted. "I wouldn't think she'd be your type. Your women are usually more sophisticated model types, like myself."

Manoso chuckled. "Everybody slums around at some point in their life."

I felt the blood drain from my face, but I didn't stick around to give them the satisfaction of seeing how their words affected me. By the time I reached my seat, I had my emotions firmly under control. I was even able to smile at Kye as if nothing had ever happened, and although he gave me a suspicious look, he said nothing.

When we finally landed several hours later, I stuck close to Kye as we departed the plane and went to find our bags. On exiting, I noticed a couple of the men that worked with my dad in the airport and wondered if they were there because of Prince Raje entering U.S. soil and the possible threat of his brother making a bid to set him free, or if there was another reason for their presence.

Once Kye and I had collected our bags, we headed for the exit. There was a loud boom as Kye opened the door for us to exit the airport, and we both turned to see that all hell had broken loose. I wondered if Manoso had counted on the attack so soon after their arrival. There was chaos as men in all types of military uniform moved into the fray, taking on men in white robes. I started to go back and see what I could do to help, but I was lifted in the air from behind by a familiar arm as someone ran in the opposite direction with me. I saw that Kye was keeping pace with us as we made our way toward the parking lot.

When we stopped moving, I turned, ready to strike. Joe Moelli was standing there, grinning from ear to ear.

My eyes narrowed. "What was that all about?"

"You were about to ruin the operation, Cupcake. Your dad asked me to come and make sure you got out of the building safely. He didn't want you to end up in the middle of everything and possibly get hurt."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm twenty-eight years old. I'm a big girl and can take care of myself."

Joe nodded. His eyes twinkled, but he said nothing more as he led us to his Jeep Cherokee. Kye climbed in the back as Joe helped me into the front passenger seat before taking his own seat behind the wheel. In no time, we were on our way east toward Trenton, leaving the Philadelphia airport behind us.

**A/N: **This chapter was written last July during the NanoWriMo camp. When Joe said, _"You forget. The whole town is afraid of my godfather. They won't try to hurt any of us for fear that he'll fit them for cement shoes and drop them in the ocean.",_ I had no idea that in the next book; Stephanie would be going after Joe's godfather, that there would be the scene at the bridge with Stephanie, or the cement scene with Stephanie and Grandma Mazur.

Since so many of you have requested faster updates, I'm considering going to three postings a week. Would you like Mon./Wed./Fri. or would you prefer on./Thurs./Sat.? Whichever gets the most in the reviews will win. Of course, that means if there are no review comments, I'll assume you want to stay at 2 postings a week. (Yes, this is my one and only attempt to solicit reviews. I love to know what you are thinking as you read the story. ;) )


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**Unknown POV**

I sat waiting in the dark, knowing she would be home soon. I couldn't get to the one I wanted yet, but I knew taking this one would bring the other one to me. They were friends, and if I left the right clues, she would blame herself for getting her friend into this situation and she would come after me. I let the smile slowly spread as I thought about what I would do to her when I had her.

At first I was furious they'd found my lair in the Whitechapel district. But then I'd calmed down and thought about how freeing it actually was. Now I could follow her and set up the place I'd been dreaming about for the past five years—ever since she'd captured my weakling copycat brother. I'd had to bide my time until I could come out and play again. I knew how to do this without getting caught. After all, Father had taught me well, as his father had taught him before me. Down through the ages, the men in my family had learned the lessons at their father's knees, and we'd adapted the game to fit our own needs.

I knew her well enough after all these years that her routine was like second nature. I knew she was going home. I'd planned for this day and had taken several trips to learn all I could about her home ground. She would think she had the advantage, but she wouldn't know that I knew her better than she knew herself.

I heard a sound as the woman neared the door. Soon, I would have the pawn in my game. I'd chosen my props well. The cologne that permeated the air was a new one called Lady's Nightmare. It had certainly lived up to its name. Several of London's young ladies would have nightmares whenever they smelled it. My brothers and I had made sure of that.

I checked to make sure I had all I would need. Seeing everything, I waited for the key to be inserted and the door to be unlocked. That's it, just a few more steps.

I'd taken the precaution of unscrewing the light bulb earlier, and I was ready to act when she was in position. I inhaled silently. The scent of fear in the air was soft, but I knew that would grow once I'd manipulated things a bit. This was my favorite part of the game.

She flipped the light switch, and nothing. I could smell the fear thicken in the room. I was just about ready…just a step or two more…_yes!_

I put my arm around her neck, holding her tight as I pressed the knife I held against her cheek. I whispered, "Walk to the bedroom."

I could feel her. She wanted to fight me, but with the way I was holding her, she wouldn't be able to. Slowly, we made our way into the bedroom. I knew the others were there, waiting for the fun to begin. I smiled.

We reached the bed, and I forced her face down on the mattress. I laughed as the smell of fear grew stronger. I relaxed my hold so I could turn her onto her back and felt pain as she brought her head back and banged it into my face. The gush of blood coming from my nose told me she'd probably broken it. I grabbed her hair and snarled, "Grab her and hold her."

The light was switched on, and my brothers did my bidding. I climbed onto the bed and lay on top of her, fully clothed. I planned to take this in stages. I had plenty of time before my plane would leave. After all, how much fight could this woman have in her?

I kissed her forcefully and felt the sharp bite of pain at the same time I tasted the metallic tang of blood. I tried to get my mouth away from hers until I realized I was nowhere near her mouth. She'd had something in her mouth that she'd transferred to mine, and whatever that object was clamped my lip tight in its grasp. More blood was dripping down my face. I was unable to talk because of whatever she'd attached to me.

I'd had enough. I took the pillow and placed it over her face until the fight drained from her and she stopped thrashing around. I released the pillow, leaving it over her face as I removed her shirt. I reached out and caressed her, only to have her bring her knee up into my groin.

I snarled once more for the others to hold her and pressed the pillow down over her face as hard as I could. Once more, she stopped struggling, and I smiled through the pain as I unzipped her jeans and removed them.

The pain from the clamp or whatever that was biting into my mouth was unbearable, and I climbed off the bed to go into the bathroom and see what it was. I flipped on the switch, and my eyes widened in horror at what the bitch had done to me. She'd somehow bitten a huge chunk out of my lip, and it was bleeding profusely.

I was in a rage, and without thinking it through, I went back into the bedroom and took out the vial I needed to knock her out. I poured the sweet-smelling perfume over the washcloth and placed it over her face until she was unconscious. Remembering what the good doctor said about leaving it over her nose and mouth until I wanted her to wake up, I made sure it was firmly in place.

I glared at my brothers and demanded, "Dress her quickly. And no one touches her. Once I've used her to draw the other one out, I want the pleasure of draining the life from her. You can do what you want with her once she's dead."

There were smiles on their faces. I knew they liked playing with corpses, so the promise of being allowed to have her was enough to keep them in line.

Before we left, I took some photos and left them behind. I wanted to make sure _she_ was able to connect the dots. While they took my new toy to our temporary holding cell, I made my way to the hospital with a story I knew would cover my tracks until I was ready for it to be known just who I was.

**Stephanie's POV**

As we neared the outskirts of Trenton, I got a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't think it was the thought of seeing my family, because I was really looking forward to seeing all of them again. I took my phone out and scanned through my contacts till I came to Tina's number. I was feeling on edge when I thought about her, and I figured now was a good time to check in with her.

The phone rang several times, and then nothing. I bit my lip and tried it again. This time, there was a weird noise on the other end, and I quickly disconnected. I scanned through my contacts and put in another number. I waited while the phone rang, getting more and more anxious the longer it took.

When the ringing stopped, I waited for the person on the other end to speak, but it was taking longer than it should. After what seemed like forever, but was actually just a few seconds, Shep's deep voice asked, "What?"

I blurted out, "Shep, I'm worried about Tina. I tried to call her and the phone rang forever. I called again and there was a weird noise."

I knew I'd gotten his attention. There was the rustle of sheets and he said, "I'm on my way. I'll give you a call as soon as I check it out."

I bit my lip. "I have a bad feeling about this."

There was a pause before he replied, "I'll run with the lights."

For Shep to run with the lights would take an extreme situation. Nothing flustered him, and the fact he was taking me seriously and willing to look foolish for using his lights said a lot. I sat there staring at the phone in my hand, hoping I could somehow make it ring faster by staring at it.

A hand landed on my shoulder, and I turned to see Kye sitting on the edge of the seat in the back. I could see the worry in his eyes as well.

Joe laid a hand on my forearm and asked, "Where would you like to go? Our parents? Or would you rather come to my house and wait for him to call you back?"

I hesitated. "Are you sure Robyn would be okay with that?"

He grinned. "Of course she'd be okay with that. She'd love to see you, and so would the kids. It's not every day they get to see their Aunt Steph."

I rolled my eyes and mock groaned. "I totally forgot about the munchkins. Aren't they in school or something? I mean, you know how I am with kids."

Joe threw his head back and laughed. "They love you and you know it."

I couldn't help but join in. For all my worry about Tina, the thought of my niece and nephews was enough to lighten any mood. Joe and Robyn had worked together for three years, during which time they'd met for the first time, dated, fell in love, moved in together, and then finally gotten married. Within three months of saying their vows, Robyn was pregnant. A month after finding out they were going to be parents, they'd found out that the baby they were expecting was actually triplets.

Figuring they'd already gotten their surprise, they'd opted to know the sex of their babies. Only two of the babies had co-operated during the ultrasound, so they'd known they were having two boys, and the third baby was a surprise. They'd both been thrilled when Cassidy Renae was born less than a minute after her older brothers—Cameron Joseph, who was born first, and Collin Daniel, born second. We all laughed when they introduced their three Cs to the family—C. J., C. D., and Casey.

I'd been thrilled when Joe and Robyn had asked me to be godmother to their three children, and I took my responsibilities seriously. Even though I wasn't around much, I made sure they knew how much they were loved.

We pulled into Joe's driveway ten minutes later. I didn't even have a chance to get out of the car before all three of the four-year-old munchkins were racing to the Cherokee. On seeing her daddy, Casey squealed and launched herself into his arms. Joe caught her mid-leap and swung her around.

I got out and stood beside the vehicle. The boys raced past their dad and made a beeline to where I was standing. They slammed into me full-force, and if the truck hadn't been behind me, we would have landed on the ground. I wrapped my arms around both boys and hugged them tight. A feminine chuckle caught my attention, and I turned to see a very pregnant Robyn waddling our way.

I quickly hid my surprise. "It's nice seeing you again, Robyn."

"You too, Steph. Come on in and I'll fix us something to drink."

We followed her into the house, and I was surprised that very little had changed since I'd been here last. There were a few more pictures with just a few more feminine touches. A photo caught my eye, and I went over and lifted the picture I'd taken the last time I was here. The triplets were playing with Bob, and I'd snapped this. I'd had a feeling that something was ending and wanted to capture the moment.

I felt a tear slip down my cheek as I looked at the dope of a dog that I'd loved so much. My hero. I remembered the phone call like it'd been yesterday. I'd barely been back in London when Joe had called to tell me that Bob had passed. That had been eighteen months ago, and the ache in my heart made it seem like it was just yesterday.

I felt arms slide around me from behind, and I leaned back, feeling safe in Joe's arms. "He had a good life, Steph. He lived every bit of it."

I nodded, a lump firmly lodged in my throat.

"Are you okay?"

I set the picture back on the shelf and wiped my eyes with the backs of my hands. "I will be."

Joe leaned down and whispered in my ear, "We have a surprise. Remember I told you about the furious neighbor with the standard champion poodle that Bob went to visit?"

I nodded against him.

Just then a deep woof sounded, and I spun around in Joe's arms to see a huge mass of fur bounding into the room and coming to a screeching stop in front of me. Next thing I knew, the dog's muzzle was buried between my legs sniffing, and I couldn't help but laugh as I was reminded of Bob's personal way of saying howdy.

The dog was a good three to four inches higher than Bob had been, and the yellow-orange hair was like an old lady's head when her hair had been ratted, before it was tamed. There was enough of Bob in the dog for me to know that this had to be one of his puppies.

I turned to Joe. "He's gorgeous."

Robyn laughed and stepped up beside us. "That's not what the owner thought. She was very unhappy Bob got into a locked kennel and did the deed with her champion Fiffie le Fett."

We all burst out laughing at that.

It was a couple of hours later when my phone finally rang. When I saw that it was Shep calling, I excused myself and moved into the kitchen to take the call in private. I had a bad feeling still, and I knew it had to do with what Shep had to say to me.

I connected the call. "Tina?"

There was silence for a moment and then: "She's disappeared. From the look of things, she put up a fight. There were photos left. Steph… It's him."

My only thought was _shit_!

**Ranger's POV**

When we disembarked from the plane, I'd had everything planned right down to the second. I knew Jeanne Ellen would be able to get us through the staff quarters; that's why I'd placed her as a flight attendant. Of course, she was useful for other things, as well, as it turned out.

I'd been needing a release ever since I'd come into contact with Agent J in London, and Jeanne Ellen didn't mind playing stand-in. Of course, Tank had gotten all pissy when I'd made my way back to the front of the plane.

Once I'd taken my seat, he'd leaned over and whispered, "You say one more asinine thing to Agent J, and I'll knock you on your ass. And don't get too close to me until you clean yourself up. That perfume Jeanne Ellen wears clings to everything, and I don't want Lula thinking badly of me."

I raised an eyebrow. "So, when are we going to meet this Lula?"

He grinned. It wasn't a good-natured grin—more like what a shark would give to its lunch. "I'm not sure you're worthy of meeting my Mama Bear. The way you been acting lately doesn't make me overly fond of you being in the same room as such a fine woman as my Lula."

I gave a harsh chuckle. "You've always known my feelings about women."

"Yeah, but lately, you've gotten even colder, Rangeman. One of these days, you're going to hurt an innocent, and it will eat you alive."

I smirked at him. "Don't hold your breath."

He shook his head and went back to looking out the window on his other side.

I felt eyes on me and scanned to see who it was. Prince Raje was looking in my direction with a knowing gleam in his eyes. My eyes narrowed, and he raised his head and smiled.

I pointedly ignored the prince and opened my laptop so I could set everything in motion for when we landed. Once I'd done what I needed, I closed the computer and placed it back in its case.

After we landed, we waited for the other passengers to disembark. Jeanne Ellen came to get us when everything was ready. We moved through the plane, and she led us through a door that would lead us to the staff exit, rather than into the main terminal. We'd reached the halfway point when the explosion was heard. We hurried our pace and managed to get out of the airport, and we were on our way to Trenton before anyone was the wiser.

The key to making sure we caught Daje was not to let anyone know where Raje was until we had them both. Besides, there were a few people in the department that I didn't trust. Of course, they were female agents, and everyone knew women were weak and untrustworthy.

We had the facility to hold Raje where he would never get out. I wasn't being overconfident; I just knew the abilities of all of my men. That, plus the room, and there was no way Raje would get free on his own.

It didn't take us long to get to RangeMan from the Philadelphia airport. That was one of the reasons we'd gone there. It was closer, and it had the element of surprise, since most people would fly into Newark.

When we pulled into the RangeMan garage, Cal was waiting, along with Junior. They would be in charge of Raje for the first shift, followed by Hal and Binkie, and then Rodriguez and Diaz.

Once they took charge of the prisoner, I headed for the elevator and fobbed my way to the penthouse. As soon as I entered the bedroom, I started stripping down as I headed to the shower. Twenty minutes later, I was toweling my hair as I entered the bedroom and climbed into bed naked.

For some reason, I couldn't get the cloying scent of Jeanne Ellen's perfume out of my mind as Tank's words replayed. "…lately, you've gotten even colder, Rangeman. One of these days, you're going to hurt an innocent, and it will eat you alive."

I hit the pillow and forced my mind to shut down. He was wrong. There _were_ no innocent women.

**A/N: **As you can guess, Monday/Wednesday/Friday won. Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

Thank you to all of you who reviewed.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

**Stephanie's POV**

Hanging up from talking to Shep, I went back to find the others talking quietly in the living room. Joe and Robyn were sitting next to each other on the sofa, and during my phone conversation, my dad and Joe's mom had arrived. I didn't even get inside the room before Angie Plum was up and rushing to wrap her arms around me. Over the past twenty years, she'd become the mother I'd never had.

That night that Joe took me to his house changed all our lives. Angie had insisted I stay with them until my dad's return three days later. In the meantime, she'd gone down to the courthouse and taken out a restraining order against Helen. Child Protective services had gone in and taken Valerie out of the house, and since Angie's standing in the community was above reproach, she'd been granted temporary custody of both of us.

The next afternoon, when Joe had brought Val home with him, I'd been thrilled to see my sister. When she'd walked into the house and seen me, she'd run to me and hugged me tight as we both broke down in tears. Val had said that Helen had told her I was dead.

_It was nearly dinnertime when there was a screeching of brakes, and I'd heard Helen's voice shrieking that Angie had gone too far this time and she wasn't going to let her get away with it. I'd started shaking so badly at the sound of her voice, and my vision had blurred as I'd felt like I was going to pass out from fear._

_Anthony came storming down the stairs with a rifle in his hands. He opened the front door and fired a shot. I stood there shaking as Val screamed. Joe's mom came over and wrapped her arms around us. She whispered soothingly to us in Italian, translating to English, "Don't be scared, my babies. You are safe. We won't let her hurt you."_

_When Joe went to follow Anthony, I couldn't stand it, and I pushed away to follow him. I'd just arrived at the door when Helen told Anthony he'd be sorry for taking a shot at her. _

_Joe stepped in front of his brother and told her that she was on private property, and if she didn't leave, she'd be arrested like a common criminal. _

_Helen turned to Joe, and there was such a look of hatred on her face. _

_I knew that look well and knew what she was going to do. I ran forward and grabbed the rifle, which Anthony was holding in a loosened grip. Turning with the rifle in my hands, I fired. _

_Helen dropped, and there was blood seeping out onto the ground. _

_My eyes widened as I felt Joe's gentle hands cover mine on the rifle. He whispered, "Give me the rifle, Steph. You need to go in the house. Let me take care of this."_

_I looked up at him. "She was going to hurt you."_

_His jaw clenched. "I'm safe, Steph. I need you to go in the house. Please."_

_Nodding, I let go of the rifle. _

_On entering the house, I was wrapped tight in Val's arm and she became hysterical. Mrs. Morelli brought her a glass of water and cajoled her into drinking it. There must have been a sedative dissolved in the water, because Val started yawning and got very sleepy. _

_Mrs. Morelli had just gotten Val laid down on the sofa when Joe and Anthony came into the house. Joe made his way over and knelt in front of me. There was a serious look in his eyes as he'd said, "I want you to remember that Anthony was the one to fire the rifle. He fired a warning shot only. Mrs. Plum came after him, and they struggled."_

_I shook my head. "No. You could get into trouble trying to protect me."_

"_Steph…"_

"_No! We tell the truth."_

_Our eyes met, and I could tell that Joe wanted to argue, but he finally nodded his head. "All right. But I plan to tell them you had no other choice."_

As it worked out, when my uncle, Joe Juniak, had showed up with the detectives that had been assigned the case, there was no need for us to say anything. An ambulance was called to take Helen to the hospital, and Uncle Joe had come into the house to talk with us.

I'd thought it was strange the way he kept looking longingly at Val sleeping on the sofa. He'd assured us that Helen wouldn't bother us again. She would be in the hospital ward of the local prison until her court date. When he'd gone to leave, he'd made his way over to look down at a sleeping Val. A gentle smile had graced his face, and when he'd turned to say goodbye, he'd told Angie to tell Frank thank you.

The next day, Grandma Mazur had arrived at the Morelli's in the back of a police car. She'd looked frail, and it had taken both officers helping her to get her into the house. She'd taken one look at me and tears had pooled in her eyes as she'd said, "I'm sorry, Stephanie. I tried to fight her about the way she was treating you. I should have known."

I hadn't found out what she'd meant until a couple of nights later. I'd been having a hard time sleeping and had made my way downstairs. Angie and Grandma had been sitting at the kitchen table, and I'd heard Grandma telling Angie about how Helen had kept her locked in the attic and only fed her once in a while. She'd tried calling out for help, but the walls were too thick for anyone to hear. Every once in a while, Helen would make her a really good meal, and then she'd fall asleep and lose days.

My dad's deep voice brought me out of my reverie. "Are you all right, pumpkin?"

Angie released me, and I turned to see my dad standing there, holding his arms out to me. I threw myself into his arms and whispered, "Someone's kidnapped Tina, Daddy. I have a bad feeling."

He hugged me close and leaned down to whisper, "What do you need from me?"

"I'd like to use your search engines. The ones we used in London were okay, but they weren't even close to the ones you have."

He hesitated. "I'll see if I can get you access. Right now, the system's on loan to a security agency here in Trenton. They're doing some work for us. I don't see the head boss telling us no, but…" He shrugged, not finishing his thought.

I gave him a wan smile. "I'd appreciate any time I can get with the system."

We joined the others and were just talking about meal options when the doorbell rang.

Joe went to answer the door, and the smell of Pino's wafted into the living room.

I moaned and yelled out, "I love you, whoever you are. Marry me and we can live happily ever after."

There was a deep chuckle, and Anthony walked into the living room with his arms laden with Pino's bags. He winked at me and said, "I'd take you up on that, but I'm afraid Mags wouldn't go for it."

I threw my head back in laughter.

Anthony set the bags on the coffee table, and before anyone could dig in, Bob Jr. came barreling into the room and took off with one of the bags. We all sat there stunned for a moment, and then Anthony produced another bag, saying he'd planned for Bob the second being a chip of the old block.

It was good to reconnect with family. By the time everyone had left Joe's, it was late. The others had already turned in for the night when Joe walked Kye and me to the guest suite. There were two small bedrooms with a full bath between them. There was enough room in each bedroom for a full-sized bed, a small dresser, and a nightstand with a lamp on it. In order for everything to fit, the bed was flush against the wall that led to the bathroom, with the dresser being beside the window on the opposite wall and the nightstand by the head of the bed on that side of the room as well.

I would have no problem with the space provided, but Kye was a different matter. When I brought it up, he laughed and said he'd lived in much worse growing up.

Once Joe had left, we got settled for the night, and the minute my head hit the pillow, I was out. I'd thought I would have trouble sleeping, what with Tina missing and all, but other than a strange dream where I was being stalked by Jack the Ripper, I had no problems.

It was close to ten when Kye and I made our way to Dad's Trenton office. The minute I stepped into the building, I felt the hum of activity. I recognized quite a few familiar faces as I headed to the back where the conference room was located.

Dad had called earlier to tell me a representative from the security firm would be here to vet me before the decision was made as to whether they could let me in on the system while they were using it. This wasn't the first time I'd been through this dog and pony show, and I figured it wouldn't be the last. Still, I was just a bit nervous. I'd had years of practice at hiding my emotions, though.

When we entered the conference room, there was a man sitting at the table. He rose, and I noted that he was nearly the same height as Kye, only this guy had another thirty pounds of muscle. For all that, he didn't appear fat by any stretch of the imagination. He was dressed in SWAT black, from the top of his head down to his combat boots.

He held his hand out with a smile, and his voice was a rich baritone as he said, "So you're General Plum's daughter."

I took his proffered hand and shook it. "Yes."

He motioned to the two chairs in front of him. "Have a seat and we'll run this through as quickly as we can. I understand this is a matter of life and death."

"Yes."

His eyebrow rose, a slight grin graced his beautiful mouth. "Wow. You're a real chatty Cathy, aren't you?"

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling as I sat there just staring at him.

He chuckled. "I'd love to be a fly on the wall when you and the boss meet."

I frowned. "Will that be necessary?"

He looked momentarily surprised. "No, not necessary. At least, not at this point. Possibly further down the line."

I shrugged. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather just deal with you."

He grinned. "My pleasure. By the way, the name's Rafael Rodriguez. Everyone calls me Rodriguez. I work for a security firm here in town by the name of RangeMan LLC."

Kye leaned forward. "How long will this take?"

Rodriguez pushed a paper forward and said, "Read through that while I press a few buttons, and we should have you set up with the program in about fifteen minutes."

I lifted the sheet of paper and read through the information there. I was surprised they were being so diligent about vetting the people that came into contact with the program. I got a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach as I wondered if they were mutating the program for some reason. The contract was straightforward. For the use of the program, I agreed that all data was accessible to the company. I had no problem with them knowing what information I gathered. After all, I trusted my dad's ethics and knew he wouldn't be party to anything illegal. Once I finished reading, I signed on the dotted line and offered the page to Kye.

He quickly scanned the page before adding his signature as well before sliding it back over to Rodriguez.

When I looked at the man sitting across the table from us, he had a perplexed expression on his face. He lifted his eyes to meet ours, then shook his head. "I don't understand this one."

I frowned. "What's the matter?"

He had his elbows on the table with his hands folded in the air in front of him, his chin resting on his hands. "There is no record of you anywhere. I've run your name through every program and get nothing."

I grinned. "What can I say? I've led an exemplary life."

He smiled. "The only problem is I have to explain this to my boss so that he'll sign off on it."

I bit my lip and debated what I was going to tell the man in front of me. I somehow knew that he was someone I could trust. "You searched under Plum."

He nodded. "I understood that was your name. Stephanie Plum."

I looked down at my clasped hands and took a deep breath. "Some things happened in my childhood, and it was necessary for me to use another name. Stephanie Plum ceased to exist twenty years ago when her mother went to prison for trying to have her murdered."

The sound of a fist hitting the table was loud in the room. Rodriguez looked like he was mad enough to spit nails. His voice was like cut glass as he said, "You mean to tell me she tried to have her own child murdered? How old were you?"

Kye's hand rested over mine. I'd been unaware that I was twisting them to the point they were now reddened. I whispered, "Eight."

There was a tenseness in the room, but I knew it wasn't directed at me. Rodriguez's jaw was clenched as he asked, "What name should I put in?"

"Stephanie Morelli."

He nodded. Several seconds later, he smiled wryly. "Looks like you've passed." He looked up at me and shook his head. "Your dad never mentioned you were J. Hell, if I'd known that, I would have forgone all the other little nitpicky things and given you access to begin with."

My eyes widened.

Rodriguez winked at me. "You were the one that found the information we needed to go in and take down one of the meanest drug lords on the east coast. Alfredo Montabon was wreaking havoc, and no one knew where to begin looking for him. I always wondered how you did it."

I shrugged. "He had a weakness for sugarcane. Once I looked for sugarcane purchases, I was able to trace him back to Trenton. Once I knew he was here, it was a piece of cake."

He closed the laptop in front of him and moved it across the table to where I was sitting. "Everything is loaded on there. I gave you the nickname Ace. That will get you into the program."

I smiled. "Thank you."

Rodriguez stood. "I need to go let the boss know how the meeting went. If you have any problems, type in Eye of the Tiger, and we'll be there in force."

I nodded and stood to leave. Rodriguez opened the door for us, and Kye and I headed out. Once we were in the parking lot, we made our way to our ride—at least until we had the chance to look for a different one. Big Blue was Grandma Mazur's car. It had been given to her by her brother Zander when he went into the nursing home ten years ago. The car had been driven infrequently because no one except my dad really cared to ride around in the tank of a car. I had the misfortune of being allowed to drive it until I was able to find something more suitable.

I let Kye get in the driver's seat as I took the front passenger seat. While he drove us back to my dad's place, I started working on finding out where Tina was and who might have taken her.

**Frank's POV**

As the knock sounded on the door, I set down the document I was currently working on and looked up as I called out, "Enter." I wasn't surprised to see Major Manoso enter the room. I'd grown fond of Ranger over the years, although the boy definitely had some major issues he needed to deal with before they bit him in the ass. I pointed to a chair. "Pull up a seat."

Ranger slouched in the seat, bringing one foot up so his ankle rested on his opposite knee. "I sent Rodriguez to the conference room to meet your daughter."

I nodded. "Thank you. I know your people are looking at making the programs better and that normal citizens shouldn't have access to this, but according to Stephanie, it's a matter of life and death."

Ranger moved his head the least little bit to indicate a nod. "That's why I sent Rodriguez. She'll have to jump through hoops to get his approval, but it won't be a no before she even gets in the door."

I studied the man before me with narrowed eyes. "You need to deal with these issues you have before you do something you'll regret."

Ranger sneered. "You might disagree that all women deserve just what they get when they're knocked on their asses by life, but it's true."

My jaw clenched. I could see by Manoso's expression that he was aware of just how pissed I was. I rested my forearms on my desk and folded my hands together. "So you're telling me my eight-year-old daughter deserved to be locked in her room and fed a stale sandwich and water? She deserved to be drugged so she'd sleep and my ex-wife wouldn't have to listen to her moving around? My daughter deserved to be left at a mausoleum after a funeral and be locked in when she was four years old? My daughter deserved to be called a whore and slut at every opportunity the woman who gave birth to her could find? She deserved to live in a room with nothing in it except for the few clothes that were deemed necessary for her to go to school? She deserved to be beaten on whenever she got near her own birth mother? She deserved to think there was no way out for her other than to run away after my ex told her I was dead because of her? She deserved for that monster to hire men to kill her? Is that what you're fucking telling me, Manoso? Because if it is, you can get the hell out of my office right now."

By the time I'd finished my rant, Ranger was sitting up straight. "Shit, Frank, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

I nodded grimly. "That doesn't change how you feel, though, does it?"

Ranger ran a hand through his hair. "I don't believe your eight-year-old daughter asked for all that. My God, your ex was really a piece of work."

"Yes. When Helen went to the Morelli's because she'd found out that's where Stephanie was, my stepson Anthony took a rifle and went outside to scare her off. Helen went after Joe, who'd followed his brother, and Stephanie grabbed the rifle and shot her to protect Joe. Helen got fifteen years for what she did to my baby and her own mother—she'd kept Edna captive in the attic so she wouldn't know how she was treating Stephanie. Not nearly enough in my book. What's more, she refused to leave the Trenton area when she got out on parole after only serving three years."

"Would you like me to pay her a visit?"

I laughed at that. "Yeah. I'd like that just fine, but no thanks. My plan is already in motion for Helen." I narrowed my eyes on Ranger. "Now that Stephanie's back home, I'm hoping my daughter has come home to stay and this isn't just a short vacation."

Ranger grinned. "If there's anything I can do…"

I raised a hand. "I have your number."

We were interrupted by a knock on the door.

I looked in that direction and said, "Enter."

Rafael Rodriguez opened the door and stepped into my office.

I smiled, knowing by the pissed look on his face that my little pumpkin had trusted him enough to let him see the file. Sure enough, the first words out of his mouth were, "I need an address."

I threw my head back and laughed.

Rodriguez stepped forward and placed his hands palms down on my desk. "I don't find your ex-wife the least bit funny. I want her address."

My eyes narrowed. "At ease, soldier. I can't have you spoiling all my hard work. I've been working for twenty years on finally getting that bitch out of Stephanie's life, ever since I found out what she'd done. If there's one thing I regret, it's that I was so involved in the missions I was running that I didn't see what was happening to my own baby girl. I was never home for more than a few hours at a time. I found out later that Helen told Stephanie it's because I didn't want anything to do with her. My being gone fed Helen's rage."

Rodriguez smiled. It wasn't a friendly one, though. "I have a name. I'll find her myself. You might have enough left to do whatever you want when I get done."

My eyes narrowed. "Don't start anything. I'm close to finally sending her over the edge. If you blow that, I'll come after you and they won't find the pieces. If you want to do anything, you watch out for my baby. Something's going down, and I have a feeling she's picked up another stalker."

Rodriguez nodded. "Consider me her unknown bodyguard."

I laughed. "You won't be unknown before long. She'll know you're trailing her before the day is out."

Both Rodriguez and Ranger looked shocked before their blank faces slammed into place. Rodriguez shook his head. "I think I can manage to shadow one little girl without being spotted."

I grinned. "A hundred dollars says I'm right."

Rodriguez looked pissed. "You're betting on your own daughter?"

I caught his meaning and explained my stand. "I'm betting on her abilities being better than your skill at staying hidden. Stephanie won't mind because I'm saying her skills are a sure thing."

Rodriguez thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "All right. Deal."

Ranger and I both stood, and I walked the two of them through the main office to the front door. Before he left, Manoso turned to me and said, "I might not like women, but even I'm not bastard enough to think your daughter deserved what came her way when she was a child. Like I said before, if there's anything I can do…"

I nodded.

The two of them headed out of the building. As I turned to head back to my office, I heard one of the secretaries say, "Department of Homeland Security, Trenton office. How may I help you?"

**Ranger's POV**

Once I'd left General Plum's office, Rodriguez and I made our way out to the Cayenne. I grimaced as he talked about how wonderful Stephanie was and did I know she was one of the ones that had tweaked the search engines to get them to where they were before our guys got a hold of them. After a couple of minutes, I couldn't stand it anymore and sent a glare his way that shut him up. We made the twenty-minute trip in under fifteen and after pulling into the RangeMan garage, I parked in my usual spot near the elevator. I didn't wait for Rodriguez as I strode to the stairwell door and headed up to the penthouse. I needed some time to myself to work off these feelings that had reared their head when I was listening to the general talk about his daughter and what she'd been through.

I'd nearly reached the sixth floor when my phone buzzed and my Uncle Louis asked me to come to his apartment because they had something to talk to me about. I grimaced. I didn't mind Louis; he did an excellent job of keeping the building up and running. The problem was his wife, Ella. No matter how much I'd tried to hate her when I was younger, I couldn't. I'd said some things to her, and instead of running away, she'd just looked at me sadly and continued on. The woman wouldn't give up, no matter what I'd said.

I opened the stairwell door and moved forward till I was standing outside their apartment. I didn't need to wonder how they knew I was back in the building. Even if the building wasn't monitored twenty-four-seven, Ella had the uncanny ability to find me when I least wanted company.

I didn't even get my hand up to knock on the door when Louis opened it. The grim look on his face was telling.

My eyes narrowed and as he stepped back to allow me to enter, I stepped forward into their apartment. "What's up?" I heard the sound of a child crying and raised an eyebrow.

Louis shook his head. "Celia stopped by shortly after you left. She needs to leave Julie here for a while." He held a hand up as my expression darkened and I got ready to let fly with an oath. His voice lowered and he said, "This is my home, and you will not say one bad word about your sister or daughter here. Julie will stay here with us. I just thought I would afford you the courtesy of knowing that she was here. You might not be interested, but Celia will be undergoing surgery in a couple of days. Her chances aren't good for recovery."

I rocked back on the balls of my feet as I fought to keep any reaction off my face.

Louis gave me no quarter as he said, "You can go now. I just thought this was something that called for telling you in person rather than over the phone."

Before I knew it, he'd escorted me out of the apartment and I was left standing in the hallway outside, stunned. My world came crashing down as I tried to deal with all the emotions I'd kept bottled up inside for so long.

I made it to the penthouse on automatic, not stopping until I was in my office. I sat behind the cherry wood desk I'd bought when I first got out of the service and decided to set up my own security business. It was an antique and had once belonged to a famous general.

I leaned back in the leather chair and turned my gaze so I was looking out my seventh-floor window at the view outside. I had no clue what was out there, my mind instead on the past.

When I'd left the cemetery after the funeral, I'd had to go with my mother. I was the only one still young enough not to be on my own. I'd heard Celia pleading with the bitch, but it was to no avail. For three years, I'd been forced to live with her without the benefit of protection. She could be cruel when she'd wanted. I'd hated the old men she'd brought home and used. The walls were paper thin, and I was smart enough to know what she was doing with them. The old men were better than the younger ones, though. They were much like Prince Raje and enjoyed inflicting pain on those who were weaker than themselves.

Her parties were legendary, and she wasn't discerning as to the riff raff she allowed into the house. All that mattered was whether or not they had the price of admission. She made no bones about the fact that she was willing to earn her money on her back. In the end, it was her undoing. The man she'd brought home the night before had turned on her, and when I'd gotten home, it was already too late. After the match struck and the police and fire department came, I'd been taken to Celia's.

Although Celia and her husband were good to me, I hadn't been able to make a connection to them or any of the rest of my siblings. My mind was set. I hated women. As I got older, that didn't change, but I adapted to the opinion that women were only good to scratch an itch when it got too strong to silence.

I'd forgotten that momentarily when I met Rachel, but she'd soon rammed the lesson home all over again. When Rachel had a girl, a part of me wanted to give her up for adoption. Another part of me wanted to pay Celia back for taking me in, and since she couldn't have children of her own, I'd asked her to raise the baby. She was convinced that someday, I would want to know my daughter. She was wrong. I had no feelings for the girl and had no plans for changing that.

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I am now posting M-W-F. I do already have several chapters already written and edited, by the time we catch up to where I am now, I should have the story finished. I'm glad you are enjoying the story, even though many of you aren't thrilled with Ranger right now. There will be an eventual Babe HEA, but patience will be required. I hope this chapter has answered some of your questions. In the next chapter, you'll find out more about what happened in the past from Frank and Helen's POVs.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

**Frank's POV**

I sat back in my chair as I watched Ranger leave the office. Something told me I needed to pray he never met my little girl. The way he felt about women wouldn't bode well for Stephanie. Of course, my little pumpkin could give as good as she got, and I'd bet on her to come out ahead in a clash between the two of them. I thought back to that day twenty years ago when I got off the plane in Newark and my best friend Joe Juniak was there to meet me.

_I knew something was wrong as we flew into Newark. I could feel it in my gut. It wasn't until I stepped off the plane and saw Joe that I knew whatever feeling I'd had involved Stephanie._

_Joe stepped forward, holding out his hand. _

_Taking his hand in mine, I shook it as my eyes narrowed. "Spit it out. What's going on?"_

_Juniak laughed wryly. "First off, both of the girls are fine. They're staying with Angie Morelli. That said, Stephanie ran away from home several days ago. Apparently, she'd gone to school and said something to young Joe Morrelli. He insisted she hide in the tree house in Bella's backyard. Three nights ago, two men went to the tree house because they'd been sent there by Helen."_

_The look on his face told me what came next was going to be bad. My hands clenched and I waited for him to spill the rest of it._

"_God, Frank. I knew she was a bitch, but I never thought she'd do this." He paused for a moment, and then his gaze met mine. "She hired a couple of bozos to kill Stephanie. How could a mother do that to her daughter?"_

_Rage began boiling inside me. "Where is she?"_

_Joe's gaze was razer sharp, as if he suspected why I wanted to know. It was no secret that I could make Helen disappear and no one would find the pieces. At that moment, that's exactly what I felt like doing._

"_She's at the prison hospital awaiting trial. You can't interfere, Frank. You'd be the number one suspect if she disappeared."_

_My gaze hardened. "Do you think I give a flying fuck? The woman tried to have my daughter murdered. What boils my blood even more is how I didn't see it. I had a feeling when Stephanie was found in the mausoleum that it wasn't the first time Helen had done something like that to her. Why the hell didn't I follow up on it?" I turned away from him and ran a hand through my nearly non-existent hair. Working for Uncle Sam had taught me it was best to wear a buzz cut. _

_Joe gave his head a shake. "She's a consummate actress, that's for sure. She's been keeping Edna locked in the attic. Periodically, she'd feed her a good meal that would put her out for days. I'll bet that coincided with your leaves."_

_I sighed. "She always told me Edna was spending time with one of her friends. I was never home more than a few hours at best. I let them push me beyond endurance because I didn't want to be around Helen any more than I had to. I saw how loving she was with Val and just assumed she loved Stephanie the same. I'm not excusing myself from blame. I need to take some responsibility for my daughter being treated the way she was. Now, in hindsight I can see it. Stephanie was always wary of Helen. She seemed to be waiting for the other shoe to drop."_

"_I'm sorry I got you involved with her."_

_My eyes narrowed as I turned to my brother-in-law. "You made a mistake. I agreed with you that there was no reason for Charlotte to pay for that mistake. She would have been devastated if she'd found out you'd had sex with Helen. We played it the only way we could so that she wouldn't be hurt."_

_Joe looked away for several seconds before he turned back to face me. "I need to thank you for doing what you did, Frank. If you need any help with this situation, just let me know."_

_I scowled. "We need to make sure Helen stays away from Stephanie. If I know the judicial system, she won't serve more than three or four years if she's convicted."_

_Joe smiled. "No. But once she's inside, if she were to suddenly go stark raving mad, she might be placed in a mental hospital, rather than let loose back into society."_

_My eyes widened. I remembered something that had happened years ago when Joe and I were on the same Ranger's team for a mission. It just might work. And when everything was said and done, Helen needed more than three or four years of punishment for what she'd done to my baby._

I blinked, taking in the view outside my window as I sat there staring out. I could see Ranger and Rodriguez reach a black Porsche Cayenne, and after climbing into the vehicle, they pulled out of the lot. One side of my mouth lifted into a smile as I thought about Helen's daily routine.

I got up and made my way over to the special monitor, turning it on so I could watch what she was up to today. I was eternally grateful to Thor for the gift he'd given me six years ago. At first, I hadn't believed it when he'd come to see me and offered to set this in place. It was an elaborate prototype that had given me the opportunity to watch Helen while maintaining my distance for the past six years. I'd been able to head off her plan before she could do any damage. The video we had of her made it look like she was a terrorist. I had enough on her to send her away for life, and not in some namby-pamby prison, either. Now I just had to decide if I wanted to go that route, or if I wanted to totally drive her mad. She was close to the edge, and it wouldn't take much to push her right over.

I pressed the button and let myself smile as I watched her looking around, trying to find out where the clicking sounds were coming from. Thor was a genius when it came to torture. Funny… Usually it made me a little squeamish, even though I'd been an Army Ranger for fifteen years and had seen all kinds of atrocities. When I thought about what that bitch had done to my baby…

**Helen's POV**

Where were they? Why wouldn't they leave me alone? What had I ever done to deserve this? Why? Why? _Why_?!

I got up from my bed and paced the room for the millionth time. I could hear them…calling to me…telling me to end it all. I lifted my chin in the air and glared. I'd be damned if I'd listen to them. I'm not weak. I won't let them win.

For some reason, thoughts of the whore were on my mind today. Oh, how I _hated_ her. It was all her fault. I'd been able to pretend until she came along and ruined it all. Why I'd ever thought to do that with him was beyond me. My only excuse was that I thought he was going to ask for a divorce and take away my angel.

I could still see it all as it had happened; it seemed like it had just been yesterday.

I was a nurse working at the veteran's hospital in Washington D.C. when he'd been brought into the ward I was working on. He was a tall, good-looking man in his late twenties, with blondish-brown hair and sherry eyes. His movie star looks had all of us swooning. He hadn't paid any of us any mind, though. It'd driven me crazy. I'd won the title of Miss New Jersey and, as a result, had received a scholarship, which I'd used to get my nursing degree. Men fawned all over me, and there he'd been, not even noticing.

_When I heard him moaning in his sleep for Charlotte, I slipped into his room and locked the door. I didn't stop to think about the consequences. All I knew was I wanted him and I intended to have him._

_I stripped down and climbed on top of him, telling him I was there. Oh, was that man a genius between the sheets. He had me so hot, I had to bite my cheeks to keep from screaming and alerting the staff on shift that night exactly what was going on in that room. _

_I couldn't believe everything had worked out so perfectly. It was my fertile time of the month, and I knew he was the kind of man that would marry a woman if he'd gotten her pregnant. He was my ticket out of that dead-end job. Being his wife would afford me all the perks I wanted and deserved._

_I was slipping off the bed when his hand grabbed my arm and wouldn't let go. I was getting ready to climb back on and go another round with him when the light was turned on, and he looked at me as if I were no more than the dirt under his feet. His eyes never left my face, as if he'd had no interest in my beautiful body, his voice icy as he said, "Get the hell away from me and stay away."_

_I was a bit surprised, considering the pleasure I'd just given him, but I shrugged and gave him a smug look. "You weren't saying that five minutes ago."_

_He sneered at me. "I didn't know I was so close to the trash bin."_

_I felt as if he'd slapped me across the face. _

_I lifted my chin and was about to respond when he continued. "I'll be informing your superiors of your behavior, and you'll be out on your whoring ass."_

_I smiled. I had him and I knew it. "You won't be doing that. If you do, I'll tell them you forced me. Besides, if you aren't nice to me, I won't tell you if our little tryst ended with me getting pregnant. It is my fertile time, after all."_

_I found the sick look of horror on his face demeaning, but I decided to overlook that and offered a little shrug. "If you'd like to save time, we can always get married before we find out. That way it won't seem as if the only reason you married me was because I'm pregnant."_

_He laughed. It wasn't a nice laugh—more like he was being cruel. _

_My eyes narrowed. "Don't laugh at me. This baby is our love child."_

_He sneered. "Lady, you're deranged."_

_I glared at him. "I'll be back when I get the pregnancy results. We both know you'll still be here."_

_He gave me a slight nod of his head. "Until then, don't come near me."_

I blinked and looked around at my cell of a room. I'd been in this same room for the past seventeen years. I hated this room. It was all her fault I was here. The little whore shoots me, and I wind up here, while she's free to do who knows what with who knows who, the little whore. The voices whispered to me, _End it. End it now!_

I shuffled over to the tiny window and looked out at the space beyond my cell. All those people going on with their lives without a care in the world. I'd been like that once. Until I fell in love with him and decided he would be my ticket to the good life.

_I waited the six weeks it would take before the doctors would know if I were pregnant or not, and six weeks to the day, I learned that I was indeed pregnant. I headed to the hospital, even though I hadn't been scheduled to work, and I made my way to his room. There was another man and woman in the room. _

_The woman was a few inches taller than my own five foot four. She was pretty enough, with black hair and the most startling blue eyes I'd ever seen. She had a blissful look on her face as she sat on the side of the bed. _

_The man with her was several inches taller than me and built much like the man lying in the bed. He was handsome, and I had to admit, if I'd seen him first, he would have been the man I'd gone after. My woman parts were sitting up and taking notice even then. He had the same black hair and blue eyes as the woman._

_I stepped into the room, and both men looked at me as if I were pond scum. The woman looked as if she were wondering who I was and what I was doing there. Before I could say anything, the woman had stood and said, "I'm so glad you're okay, Joe. I can't wait till you can come home. I'm counting the days, darling."_

_I felt my blood boiling that this woman would be calling my man darling. I was ready to step forward, but the man standing in the room moved closer to me and said, "Keep your mouth shut or you'll regret it. I promise you that. My sister doesn't know women like you exist."_

_My eyes widened at his rudeness, and I started to speak but the moment was stolen as Dr. Coleman stepped into the room. _

_He looked at me harshly and said, "Mazur. You shouldn't be in here when you aren't on duty. Leave now or I'll turn you in to the head of the hospital."_

Ass! _I lifted my chin and left the room. I went to a spot where I'd be able to watch the door, and as soon as everyone else left, I intended going back. Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, I was able to slip back in his room. I smiled smugly and said, "Hello, Daddy."_

_The door opened behind me, and the man that had been in the room before stepped back inside. _

That was when I'd been told that if I wanted to stay out of jail, I would marry Frank Plum—who just happened to be Joe Juniak's brother-in-law. I'd hated the idea, but I'd agreed. Of course, I'd known I would enjoy the physical side of my marriage to Frank. I'd had the feeling that he'd be magic in bed, and as an added benefit, my baby would have a father.

Less than a week later, I'd become Mrs. Frank Plum. He'd deposited me in a row house in the 'Burg and informed me he planned on going back overseas.

I'd been furious that he'd never even called to check up on me and see how I'd been doing or to ask about the baby. I'd known he wasn't the father, but still, common decency dictated that he be human about it. Val was just over a year old before I'd seen him again. Even then, I think the only reason he'd come home was to heal from a gunshot wound he'd received.

_On his third night home, I took him to task for his treatment of me. I told him, "You're not being much of a husband. After all, we are married and you should show some interest in your daughter and me."_

_He laughed. "You're delusional, Helen. The only reason I married you was to protect my sister from heartache when you hit Joe with a paternity suit. You're nothing to me. As a matter of fact, I've considered talking to a lawyer about a divorce. You'll still have my name, and I'll pay support for Val; hell, you could even keep this house. It has no sentimental ties for me."_

_Divorce_?! _I need to make that an impossibility…_

Having made my plans, two nights later, I'd spiked Frank's drink. Since I'd been at the end of my fertile period, my strategy had been to repeat what I'd done to Joe, only that time, Frank would be the father of the baby. I'd known a child of his own would tie Frank to me so he wouldn't consider divorce again.

Once it was over, I'd been pleased to know that I'd been right about Frank being magic in bed. My body was still singing when he woke up the next morning and realized what had happened. I'd weathered the insults and just smiled smugly.

Frank's parting shot as he'd stormed out of the house reverberated, and twenty-nine years later, I still remembered his words. "You'd better hope you're pregnant. It'll be the only thing to save your ass."

I hadn't seen him again, but six weeks later, there'd been a call from him. He'd simply asked, "Well?"

I'd gleefully told him about my pregnancy.

There was a sound coming from just beyond the door, and I slowly made my way over, hoping for a glimpse of what was making those awful noises. Something on the edge of memory told me I had Frank to thank for my being here instead of out in the world, free to come and go as I pleased. Frank and that whore. Too bad those two hadn't been able to find her that night. Then none of this would have happened. I could have played the distraught mother, and Frank would never have known the lengths I'd gone to trying to pay him back for his awful treatment of me.

Everything that creature got, she deserved. I just wish I'd had the opportunity to do more.

What was that sound? It was driving me batty! I put my hands over my ears and screamed, "_Stop it_! Stop it! Make it go away! I won't listen. Do you hear me? I won't listen! You can't make me do it!"

Seconds later, my cell door opened and the men in white coats came rushing in. I felt the pin prick, and then there was nothing but blissful silence.

**Stephanie's POV**

Once we left Daddy's office, I headed us in the direction of the bonds office, where my friend Lula worked as a bounty hunter. I had a hunch we needed to connect, and I'd learned to trust my instincts. There was another reason for looking Lula up, though. When the White Chapel case was closed and my request to continue looking into it had been denied, I'd copied the file I'd amassed, and on my next visit to Trenton, I'd asked Lula to hold onto it for me. I'd also let her know that if anything were to happen to me, this would be the place to start. I was hoping I could find something in the file that would help me to find Tina.

When I pulled up in front of the Tasty Pastry, Kye just grinned and followed me into the bakery to wait while I picked up a few things. It didn't take long before we were back on our way. As luck would have it, a car was pulling out from in front of the bonds office, and I slipped Big Blue right into the slot.

By the time I'd gotten out of Blue, Kye was standing on the sidewalk waiting for me with the bakery box. My gaze scanned the area as we headed toward the building, and I couldn't help but notice the black SUV that had been tailing us since we'd left the bakery. The SUV had taken the place of the black Porsche that we'd picked up when we left Homeland Security. I gave a slight jerk of my head to alert Kye, and we continued on our way.

Vincent Plum Bail Bonds was owned by my cousin Vinnie. He was my height, about fifty pounds heavier, and an ace at being able to read the criminal element. He was working as a bounty hunter when he met the love of his life, Lucille. They'd gotten engaged and had planned to get married as soon as Vinnie had saved enough money to get them started in life. Three years later—when the wedding had yet to happen—Lucille's father, Harry the Hammer, called Vinnie into his office and demanded to know when Vinnie thought he'd be financially able to keep Lucille in the manner her father thought fitting.

Vinnie had sweated through the meeting, and when he'd left the building, he'd gone directly to the rundown building across from the Trenton Police Department. The realtor met him with the keys and a contract, and the rest was history. Vinnie was the proud owner of his own business…well, if you didn't count his silent partner, then he was the owner.

Harry had fronted Vinnie the cash to get the business up and running and covered the bonds. In exchange, three months later, Lucille had walked down the aisle with a loving smile on her face as she married the man of her dreams.

Before getting married, Vinnie was considered a bit of a perv by those who knew him. Once he married Lucille, he was a changed man. He was totally devoted. Whether that was because he loved his wife and she was enough for him, or because he was afraid of being fitted for cement overshoes, only Vinnie could say.

His first act as owner was to hire Connie Rizzoli, the older sister of one of my classmates in school. Connie had the Betty Boop look down pat, from her black hair to her more-than-generous breast and hourglass figure. She was a stunner for sure, and after a failed marriage, which ended with her rat-fink husband disappearing, she went to work for Vinnie as his office assistant.

That was the best move Vinnie had made. Well, except for hiring Tallulah Jackson as one of his bounty hunters. I'd met Lula when I was helping Joe do surveillance on Benito Ramirez. Joe was convinced Ramirez was responsible for the murder one of his snitches, Carmen. I was watching Ramirez to see where he would lead us. Come to find out, Lula was there partly for the same reason. Ramirez was the client her baby sister had been going to see, and Lula wanted evidence that Ramirez was responsible for her death, so she used skills she'd learned as a police officer in Miami to help nail his hide.

At first, she'd tried to get me to leave, telling me it wasn't a safe neighborhood for a little white girl.

When Ramirez had sent one of his goons to give me the same message about the neighborhood being unsafe, I'd used the skills I'd learned from my dad, Joe, and Kye to send a message of my own. Lula and I had teamed up after that, and three weeks later, we'd had all the evidence Joe needed to make an arrest. Although Ramirez was only sentenced to fifteen years, he never made it past the first week at the Trenton Prison. Seems someone forgot to inform the courts that Carmen's brother Enrique was already there doing time for gang-related activities.

Over the past ten years, Connie had been able to work wonders with the office. On a frugal budget for renovations, she'd totally transformed the once rundown building to what it was today. The building had had a face lift and now looked new and fresh, with the outside having a nice brick finish.

I looked around as Kye and I walked inside. The walls were an off white with shades of blue speckled throughout, and the plush carpet was a deep navy blue. The lighting was soft and gave the room an overall calming effect. Connie had a deft hand in the remodeling of the office. She'd opted for cherrywood furniture, and the artwork and little touches here and there gave the office a classy look. Lula had been regaling me with the progress and begging me for months to come back home and take a look.

My eyes landed to the area in front of Connie's desk. I smiled at the sight before me. Lula was down on the floor on her knees, ass up in the air as she was trying to get something from under the desk.

Lula was a plus-sized black woman a couple of inches shorter than my own five-foot-seven-inch frame. She had a penchant for wearing spandex that was three sizes too small, testing the limits of its expandability. Today, her hair was bleached blond, and she was in pink tulle that barely covered the essentials.

The door had no more than closed behind us when her head shot up in the air and she started sniffing. "I smell Tasty Pastry."

She was up off the floor like a flash, and the box disappeared from Kye's hands.

We watched in awe as she downed five doughnuts in less than five minutes before giving a sigh. "Damn, I needed that." She turned to me with a grin on her face. "Well hot damn, white girl. It's about time you get yo' ass back here and see me."

Connie was grinning at me as well.

I chuckled. "Glad to oblige. So what's up?"

Connie lifted an eye. "What happened to you, Steph?"

Her eyes were focused on my arm. I held it up and said, "Just a little scratch. It's put me out of commission for a bit at work, so I decided to take a vacation."

Lula clapped her hands together once and said, "Hot damn!"

I winced inwardly. I knew that gleam in her eyes and knew I was in big trouble.

"I just got Mooner's file this morning. He went FTA, and I get to bring him in. I just know he'd like ta see you, white girl. And 'sides, we know he's got a soft spot fer you, and maybe I won't have ta sit through twenty hours a _Star Trek_. You know I hate that shit! Every time I see that show, I think a that time those Trekies throwed food and shit at us."

I remembered that time well. Lula had a FTA, and he was at a _Star Trek_ marathon that Mooner and his roomie Dougie were hosting. She'd conned me into going with her to pick up the guy. When we found him, he was dressed as a Klingon, and when he realized Lula was there to take him back to jail, he'd shouted something, and next thing you know, food was flying through the air. We'd been lucky to escape with our lives. The fact that we'd gotten the skip as well was just short of miraculous.

I was torn. I wanted to get back to Joe's so I could start working on finding out where that bastard had taken Tina, but I also needed to get that file from Lula, and now that I thought of it, Mooner might be able to help me with a couple of items that hadn't made sense to me at the time. I turned to Kye and mouthed, "You mind?"

He winked at me and said, "Since you're going to be Lula's wingman, I think I'll take a walk over to the cop shop and see if Joe's around."

I grinned. "Great idea. Tell him hello from me too."

He raised his hand in a semblance of a wave and was gone.

I turned to Lula. "You ready to roll?"

She grabbed her bag, and we headed to the door.

Before we could leave the office, Connie spoke up to say, "You two get arrested, and I'm not bailing you out."

I turned and raised an eyebrow innocently. "Now how would we get arrested going to see Mooner?"

She threw her head back, laughing.

Lula looped her hand in my arm and said, "I'll 'splain in the car."

I walked with her to the parking lot in the back. There was just enough space for three small cars to fit snuggly. Even at this time of the day, it was dark back there, and it really brought home what a difference a few steps could make in this part of Trenton. The street light that would normally light up this area at night looked like it had been shot out.

As we made our way to Lula's fire engine red Firebird, I had the feeling that someone was watching us. It was a different kind of feeling than when I'd seen the black SUV. This seemed menacing somehow. Careful so as not to give away that I was looking for someone, I scanned the area. I caught a flash of movement, and something about that gave me a chill racing down my spine. I paused before climbing into the car and looked in the opposite direction from where I'd seen the movement. There was a mirror set up so that people could use it when leaving the alley to see if the coast was clear. Right now, what I was seeing was part of someone's arm. Nothing out of the normal, really, other than the tattoo on the arm.

I slipped into the passenger seat and smiled weakly at Lula. "Let's go."

She pulled out of the lot, and we were lost in traffic in no time. As we headed on our way to Mooner's, I took out my phone and sent Kye a text.

_Keep an eye on Big Blue. London's come to Trenton in the form of a seal._

I closed the phone and dropped it back into my shoulder bag before turning in Lula's direction. "Do you remember that file I asked you to hang onto for me?"

She frowned for a second, and then her eyes widened in an oh_, shit_ look before she glanced my way. "I still got it. You needing it for something?"

I pulled my lower lip in between my teeth as I nodded. "Yeah. I think it has something to do with a friend of mine being kidnapped."

Her eyes hardened. "We'll stop by my place on the way to Mooner's and pick it up."

Turning back to the front, I watched silently as we made our way through the city to her apartment building.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

**Stephanie's POV**

The minute we turned onto Mooner's street, I knew there were going to be problems. Lula slowed down and looked my way, as if asking for directions. I quickly scanned the area and smiled as I remembered the secret tunnel Mooner had dug out beneath his building for any clients needing a fast getaway. He'd come up with the idea shortly after the Klingon food fight.

I turned to Lula. "Park in the alley."

Not questioning my reasoning, she merely nodded and made the turn off the street before going on a little side excursion before once more turning back toward Mooner's. If someone had been following us, they were lost somewhere over on Stark Street.

Lula turned down the alley, then found the perfect spot nestled in a crook between two fences on either side of a garage. From the Partridge Family-style paint job on the garage, I knew this was Mooner's work. We climbed out of the car, and I led the way.

It had been a while since I'd been here, so I was hoping nothing had changed too much. From the outside, the garage looked big enough for a car with enough room on either side for people to walk comfortably around. Once inside, you saw that looks were deceiving, as there was barely enough room to fit the vintage '69 Mustang convertible that was currently parked there.

Most people wouldn't think twice about the apparent difference in size, but I happened to know that it was due to the false wall that was built to allow guest to pass through here without being seen.

I made my way around the car till I got to the back wall, then went over to the portrait of puppies playing in a field that was hanging there. The portrait was the size of a large window, and if you looked really close, there was a pair of eyes looking back at you. I poked the eyes with the first two fingers of my right hand and heard the sound of a lock being released. I moved the painting slightly to the side so we could go through to the other side. It was a bit tricky, because you had to lift your leg up a good two and a half feet to step through the opening, and if you were a tall person, you'd also have to duck your head in order to make the transition.

Letting the frame swing back into place, I let it go and stood for a moment in the narrow area where we found ourselves. The area was well lit and made me think of something Mooner had said once about owning a house where spirits would sense when friends were coming and light their way. I wondered if he'd figured out a way of making that happen in that brilliant brain of his.

A lot of people discounted Mooner because he used marijuana regularly. They forgot that under his slightly wacky exterior was a brain with the highest IQ known to man. He used the marijuana as a coping mechanism.

Lula looked hesitantly at the narrow passage. "Uh, gee, white girl, I'd hate to steal your thunder. You go first."

A chuckle escaped as I slowly made my way down the steep set of narrow stairs. Once we got to the bottom, the area widened a good deal. It was much like a finished basement would look if it was turned into a game room, with sofas, a bar, and pool table, as well as a couple of tables and chairs. There was another set of stairs on the other side of the room, and we made our way over to them to move upstairs. Once again, the area we traveled got narrower until we stepped out into what looked like part of a screened-in porch. In actuality, there was a floor-to-ceiling two-way mirror set up so we could see what was happening on the porch as well as the backyard, yet no one was aware of our presence.

There was a small black button on the side of the mirror, which I reached out to press. We heard the sound of a lock releasing once again, and the mirror swayed. I held it so we could step through the opening onto the porch proper.

The view of the backyard was stunning. Mooner had planted flowers all over his postage stamp-sized backyard, and there were birdbaths and birdhouses dotted throughout. Right now, there were dozens of butterflies all over the yard.

The porch had two white rattan chairs with a matching table between them. It was a beautiful little area that would lend to totally relaxing. Reluctantly, I turned to the door and knocked. Three rapid hits, pause, knock, pause, knock twice, pause, and then three rapid knocks again.

The door opened, and Mooner stood there with a dopey smile on his face. "Dudette!" The next thing I knew, I was engulfed in a grip so fierce, he nearly squeezed me to death.

After a couple of minutes, Lula cleared her throat.

Mooner released me and turned so he was looking at her. His eyes widened and he smacked his forehead. "I forgot my court date."

Lula smiled. "Well, we'll forgive you if you come along with us right now."

His eyes widened in horror. "I can't do that! _ALF_ is on. I can't miss the hairy little dude from Melmac."

Lula looked a little shell-shocked at that one.

I placed my hand on Mooner's arm. "You can't stay here. Joyce Barnhardt is out front with a group of women wannabe bounty hunters. They looked like they were figuring out a way to break into your party."

Mooner looked vacant for a moment, and then his eyes lit up. "I'll bet they're after the two dudes in black. Your Uncle Joe asked me to pretend they're friends and let them hang with me for a while. They didn't go for their court dates either, but in their case, I don't think it was forgetting."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that their car in the garage?"

Mooner's eyes got a dreamy look in them. "Yeah. It's a fine piece of work."

I hesitated. "Introduce me to your friends."

Mooner lifted a hand, gently touching my cheek. "This is wicked bad. I don't want you touched by the hand of evil."

I took hold of his hand and squeezed. "I need to get you out of here. If the only way to do that is with your friends to come with, then they come too. I'm a big girl, Walter. Introduce me."

There was sadness in his eyes for a moment, then he blinked suddenly, and the fun-loving guy I knew was back in charge. Nodding, he turned and led the way toward the front room, where two mountains sat silently staring at the TV screen, looking like they were being tortured. The second they caught our movement into the room, their hands went for the guns in their utility belts. I had them covered before they made it halfway.

Mooner raised his hands in the air. "Chill, dudes. This is dudette. She's my friend."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when a third man appeared in the room with a gun pointed directly at me. Although this guy was a good two or three inches shorter than the other two, he was no slouch. He was a very nice-looking man, a couple of shades lighter than Tank, and every bit as built as the other two. His brown eyes were narrowed on me as he held his gun steady.

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to talk and knowing I wouldn't be the first one to lower my weapon.

Both men on the sofa stood, giving the appearance they felt more in control with their friend standing there with his weapon in hand. They flanked the newcomer on either side. The one on the right looked like a human stegosaurus. His body was all solid muscle. The man on the other side was slimmer, yet still muscled. His head was shaved bald, and there was a flaming skull on his head.

The guy with the tattoo on his head went to step forward, and I pulled the hammer back on the gun in my hand. All three men froze slightly, and the black man shook his head. "I have a gun on you, lady. You're supposed to drop yours and run."

I shrugged. "Sorry. No one gave me a script. I'll just use my own. Rule one is never give up your weapon. However, if you want to drop yours and run around in circles screaming hysterically, be my guest."

Mooner stepped between me and the others, his hands in the air. The look on his face was serious. "She's my friend."

The man with the gun seemed to weigh what he was being told, then slowly lowered his weapon. When he secured it in his utility belt, I slipped the safety on my own gun and slid it back in my purse.

I turned to Lula. "Check out front, but make sure you don't move the curtains."

She grinned. "You got it, white girl."

Trusting Lula with that task, I turned back to the others. "Are you aware there's a group of women out front working on a plan to come in here?"

The flaming skull guy growled. "It's probably the barracuda that works for Diamond Dave's Bail Bonds. That's why we went with that company. We knew it wouldn't be any trouble to keep out of her clutches. Thing is, she's like a bloodhound."

Lula exclaimed. "That's 'cause she's a skank whore and can smell a male for miles. I think they're getting ready to storm the castle."

Lula's choice of the word whore had me cringing inwardly, but then I shrugged it off as I worried my bottom lip for a moment before rushing from the room. I headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge to see what was available to us. There wasn't much to choose from, just can after can after can of Ready Whip. I grabbed as many as I could and took them back into the other room. "Here! Get these armed and ready. When they come in, start spraying."

The guys looked at me like I'd lost my mind. I sighed before telling them, "I don't have time to explain. Just do it!"

The three guys looked at each other and shrugged, but the shortest of the three nodded his head, and the other two seemed more willing to give it a try.

Everyone took a few canisters, and we got ready. There were sounds from outside coming closer, and it was obvious the women were on the move. There was a solid hit on the front door. "Bond agent…open up!"

Mooner went to step forward, but I held my hand up to let him know we weren't going to let them in. A gun was fired and the door creaked open. One of the women had gasped at the gunfire and said, "You didn't say anything about using a gun. I'm out of here."

"You leave now, and I'll be telling your husband all about that affair you're having."

There was some grumbling and then footsteps closing in. Suddenly, the door was kicked open and five women dressed in black leather jackets, black leather pants, and black boots came storming into the room. The only one I recognized was Joyce Barnhardt—a black-haired, brown-eyed bitch that had made my years in grade school pure torture. She had a gun in her hand, and she was looking right at Mooner and the other three guys.

I nodded to Lula, and we let go with the whipped cream. My aim was good, and I got Joyce in the eyes, momentarily blinding her. The others joined in, and soon, all five women were rolling around on the ground, trying to get away from the stream of white cream heading in their direction. I motioned to Mooner to get the guys out of there, and he led them toward the back porch.

The sound of sirens told me we would be having company soon, and I tapped Lula's arm to get her attention before we slipped out through the back as well.

When we reached the garage, the guys were there deciding how they would all fit in the car.

I smiled. "As much as I'd love to see all three of you big, strapping men fit in one dinky little car, I have a better idea. Mooner and two of you go in the Mustang, and one of you can have the front passenger seat in the Firebird."

The black man seemed to be the one in charge, as once again, the other two looked to him. He nodded. "All right."

My eyes twinkled. "You'll need to follow us. Don't worry. I'll take us to a safe place so we can have a discussion."

The one in charge looked at me with a wry expression. "Do I even have a choice?"

I laughed. "Not if you want your friend back."

Mooner started giggling. "Cool, dudette. Let's lock and lode and get the hell outta Dodge."

The black man got in the driver's seat, with the stegosaurus riding shotgun. Once Mooner slipped into the back, Lula and I led the way to the Firebird. I climbed in back, and the other two settled in the front.

Once her seat belt was on, Lula turned to me and asked, "Where to J?"

"The safe house."

She grinned. "You got it." And with that, she went from zero to a hundred in a heartbeat.

I couldn't help but smile at the look of panic on our passenger's face. I pulled my phone out of my purse and sent a text to my Uncle Joe, letting him know the fox had found the rabbit so the rabbit was relocating. When his response came through, my eyes widened and I looked at the man sitting in the passenger seat. _Shit_! This was a complication I didn't need.

Lula was in her zone, driving like a bat out of hell. Two minutes into the ride, she'd turned the stereo on full blast, and the car was now vibrating to the beat of Metallica's "Enter Sandman." The guy in the front was still looking a bit shell-shocked, with his eyes glazed over and a death grip on the door handle with his right hand and the seat with his left.

Lula glanced at me by looking in the mirror. "You want me to take the roundabout way?"

I nodded. "Yeah. That would be nice. There will be visitors there waiting for us."

I bit my lip to keep from laughing as Lula rolled her eyes and sarcastically replied, "Oh goodie!" Her eyes found me once again in the mirror before she continued, "Don't you be sitting back there laughing at me. I know where you live, white girl."

I couldn't help but laugh.

Lula mumbled, "Uh-huh. We'll be seeing about that sheet."

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to control the laughter, only to have her add something else a few seconds later, and the laughter was back in full-force once again. When masculine laughter joined in, I was able to see just enough through the tears to see Lula take her right hand off the wheel and slap at the man beside her.

She shook her hand in the air. "Damn, boy. What you got packed inside you? I think I done broke my hand!"

The giant beside her lost it and threw his head back, laughing. When the car swerved and Lula started swearing, his eyes widened before he gave a grin. "Damn, woman. You swear like a sailor."

The car swerved again, and I was able to see a black Porsche Cayenne SUV speeding past us. When they were even with the Firebird, Lula flipped them the bird and then floored the gas pedal, causing us to rocket past them for all of two car lengths before the driver of the Cayenne pressed their foot to the gas and left us in the dust.

Lula tilted her head side to side and said, "Well, la de da, Mr. High and Mighty. I don't care you wanna pass me. Be my guest."

The guy in the passenger seat turned slightly so he could see both of us. "I'm Cal, by the way. The SUV that just passed us belongs to my boss."

Lula turned to look at him. "And just who does yo boss happen to be? The way he drives, he seems ta think he's Batman!"

Cal tried to keep the smirk from his face, but it slipped. "I'm not able to fill you in on that, but I thought you might want to know you don't have to worry if you see the Cayenne at this safe house you're taking us to."

We rode in silence for the next several minutes. When Lula pulled off the road to maneuver the lane that would lead us to the beach house, I sat up and started scanning the area. My eyes narrowed as I caught sight of a couple of things that were out of place. I slipped my cell phone out once again and sent another text to Uncle Joe. _In case you didn't know it, we have a creeper in the old oak and a bogey on the ground._

I turned to look out the window, and when my phone beeped, I looked at the screen to read, _Understood and all is as it should be. Come ahead._

I dropped my phone into my bag. We were nearing the house, and I saw the SUV that had passed us, along with a couple of other cars parked a short distance away. I smiled as I recognized the nondescript brown Crown Victoria parked on the other side of the SUV. I sat forward in the seat and pointed in that direction. "Park us there."

Lula's face split into a grin. "Well hot damn! Looks like Mr. Hottie is here."

I turned to Lula with wide eyes. She gave me a grin and shrugged. "What? He's married, I know, but that don't mean I can't look."

I grinned. "What about that hottie you've been dating for the past few months?"

She smiled and then looked out the window before looking back at me, only to whip her head around again. "Tank!"

The driver's side window was covered in shade as a big tank of a guy leaned down to look in. My eyes widened in surprise as I recognized the man leaning on the door, grinning at Lula. "Mama Bear. What're you doing here?"

His gaze moved from Lula to Cal, and then finally to me. They widened and he grinned. "I'll be damned."

I scowled as I realized I probably knew who else was in that damn SUV that had passed us. I lifted my head as I asked, "Is that asshole Ranger with you?"

Tank bit his lip, as if he were trying to keep himself from laughing.

Lula whipped her head back toward Tank. "I flipped off Ranger? Sheet! Well, how about that?" She turned to me. "I was right about the Batman bit." Her eyes were twinkling.

I grimaced. "As far as I'm concerned, he's Jack the Ripper."

Lula's eyes widened, and Cal looked like he'd swallowed something that was choking him. His face was actually turning red.

Tank opened Lula's door for her and held out his hand to help her out as Cal climbed out on his side. Figuring there would be less fanfare on that side of the car, I followed him. When I was outside the car, I looked around to see that not only was my Uncle Joe here, but as I suspected, so was Joe Morelli. Standing beside him was Kye. Ranger was leaning against the SUV, and flanking him were Lester and Hector.

Morelli ambled over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You okay, Cupcake?"

I looked up into his smiling face and whispered, "I'd be doing better if Manoso weren't here."

Joe lifted an eyebrow. "You've met Ranger?"

"Unfortunately. In London. He's an ass."

Joe grinned. "Come on. I'll protect you."

I elbowed him playfully in the stomach. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

Joe kissed my forehead, and I felt all the hairs stand up on the back of my neck as electricity raced down my spine. I hated this reaction, and I had it every time Manoso got close. Sure enough, when Joe and I stepped back, he was there, glaring at me. I squeezed Joe's forearm. "Make sure you call me J."

He frowned, then seemed to study my face for answers. Whatever he was looking for, he must have found, because he said, "All right."

With that, he wrapped his arm around my waist and led me over to where the others were standing.

Once the whole group was gathered, Joe Juniak nodded grimly as he looked at each of us in turn. "I got a call while in route here. Joyce Barnhardt and the group of women with her were found dead at the scene. It's my guess that someone tried to get answers from them that they didn't have."

Joyce had been the bane of my early years, but I still felt sick that she and the other women had been murdered. Apparently there was a monster out there that didn't care whether it was a man or a woman that he killed; he just liked the kill. I had a sudden thought and turned to where Manoso and his men were standing. The looks on their faces told me I had my answer.

Uncle Joe went on to say, "I know you have Prince Raje, and I don't want to know where. I think we all know who's behind all this. Three days ago, there was a massacre at the docks. It's our belief that King Daje came into the U.S. there and took out anyone who could recognize him."

I looked over at Manoso. "That wasn't part of your plan, was it?"

He glared at me, but remained silent.

Uncle Joe continued. "We're down to our backup plan. We have to get this right. I don't like it…" He looked over at me with a serious expression on his face. "This has the potential to blow up in our faces."

Manoso shrugged, as if he had no doubt he could make good on his words. "We'll take him. My men are searching for him even now."

Uncle Joe turned to him. "You were supposed to have him at the docks, but he came in early. He's smart, and we need to have contingencies in case he gets by us again. I don't like putting Agent J in this position, damn it!"

My eyes widened. "You hinted that you needed our help. Just what is your plan?"

Uncle Joe sighed before running his hand through his hair. "Usually, I'd have Detective Morelli and his wife go undercover, but with Robyn's pregnancy, Joe has rightly refused to put his wife and child at risk. I can't place him with another agent, so I need to find another couple."

I shrugged. "Kye and I could pose as a couple."

Uncle Joe looked at me, shaking his head. "No. Not you and Kye. He can go in as your bodyguard, but…" His gaze flicked to Manoso.

_Shit! _

I turned and walked back over to Lula's Firebird. A couple of seconds later, I felt a hand on the back of my neck and turned to rest my forehead against Joe's chest.

He wrapped his arms around me and said, "I'm sorry, Cupcake. I'd do this if I could, but I can't put Robyn at risk."

"I know. I just really don't want to be in a room with that ass for more than two seconds. And you guys are telling me I have to pretend to be part of a couple with him?"

Joe lifted my chin to meet his serious gaze. "You go tell Uncle Joe the answer is no."

I winced. "Yeah, right. Then when the next young woman is found dead after she's been brutalized, I'll feel guilty as hell."

A voice from behind us snarled, "I'm not any happier about this than you are, _Babe_."

I stiffened. That _Babe_ felt an awful lot like bitch. I turned to Manoso with a glare.

He was looking at me as if I wasn't good enough to be the dirt under his feet. His gaze moved to Joe and the way we were standing so close. "If you want to play the part of Morelli's whore, that's fine with me. Probably not too far from the truth anyway."

Joe moved before I could react, and he and Manoso were locked together in a clinch with both men throwing punches and deflecting the other guy's hits.

Within seconds, Tank was there, and he grabbed each man by the nape of the neck and squeezed till he had their attention. When they had stopped fighting, he let them go, stepping between them with a hand on each man's chest. He turned to Manoso. "Enough! We got a job to do."

Manoso glared at Joe. "I can't help it that he's thinking with the wrong head."

Joe went to step forward.

I stepped between him and the other two, placing a hand on his arm. "Let it go."

He continued to glare at Manoso while the muscle clenched in his jaw.

Just when I thought the fight was going to continue, with both men going through Tank, Uncle Joe barked out, "_Men_! In the house. We have planning to do."

Reluctantly, both Joe and Manoso moved away from each other. I walked beside Joe toward the house, and Tank moved slightly behind Ranger. Whether it was to keep Joe from getting Ranger from behind or to keep Ranger from turning and going after Joe, I didn't know.

Once inside, we made our way to the living room and claimed our seats. Uncle Joe glared at Morelli, and then he turned to glare at Ranger. "You two little boys done playing king of the mountain? We don't have time for that bullshit, so from now on, put a cork in it. We have a killer to catch."

Joe's jaw clenched. "He calls her that again, you'll need a plan C, because that bastard will be dead."

Joe and Ranger continued to glare at each other.

I rolled my eyes and got up from the chair where I was sitting. I went over and sat on the arm of the chair that Joe was sitting in. I leaned down and whispered, "Chill, big brother."

Joe looked up at me, and his eyes were suddenly twinkling. He grabbed me and pulled me onto his lap as his fingers whispered over my sides where I was ticklish. I couldn't help the laughter that escaped. When I was finally able to sit up, I noticed that all the guys were smiling except Manoso. He was glaring at me now instead of Joe, so at least we'd made progress.

Uncle Joe went over the plan of action, and I had to admit, it had the best chance of working, even if I wasn't thrilled with having to work so closely with Manoso.

I saw Lula look up at Tank and whisper something to him. He shook his head, but I was too far away to know what they were saying. Just then, Lula glanced my way and then looked over to where Uncle Joe was seated. "Maybe Tank and I could act as the married couple."

Uncle Joe shook his head. "Tank has the reputation, but too many people know you're a bounty hunter. The people our couple will be around won't know S—uh, J."

"It's all right. I'll do it. I've had worse jobs and made it through. I'm sure I'll be fine with this one." I refused to look at Manoso as I finished speaking.

Uncle Joe smiled. "All right. Mooner, you'll stay here with Cal and Hal as your bodyguards until we get this guy caught. He's going to be looking for you to get back that toy you were able to get away from him." He looked over at me and winked. "Those two you spotted will be helping to protect the safe house. They're actually two of Ranger's men."

Tank's eyes widened. "She spotted them?"

Uncle Joe grinned. "Oh yeah."

Tank shook his head. "I'm going to have to have a talk with them about staying out of sight."

I smiled. "Don't be too hard on them. After all, I'm a trained agent."

Tank grinned. "Yes, but our people are trained soldiers. You shouldn't have spotted them."

With that, the conversation died down and people started leaving. Once Uncle Joe had left, Mooner, Cal, and Hal went into another part of the house. Morelli left, needing to get back home to his wife.

Manoso sat staring at me for several minutes, as if he was waiting me out till I turned to look at him. I refused to be the one to start the conversation.

As if he knew that, Tank broke the silence. "I'll ride with Lula back to Rangeman. You two are going to have to get outfitted."

Manoso looked at him silently for several seconds before he finally stood and said, "I'll be in the Cayenne. Don't take too long."

With that, he was gone. I grimaced, not looking forward to the next few days of having to work with the jerk.

Lula grinned at me and whispered, "Girl, that man is h-o-t!"

I looked over at her and rolled my eyes. "As far as I'm concerned, he's a j-e-r-k!" I stood, turning to Kye. "Are you and Hector going with?"

Kye nodded. "Yes. We're just one big happy family. You and the hubby, and me and the other bodyguard."

I grinned. "Then let's get this dog and pony show on the road. The sooner we get that bastard, the sooner this farce is over."

Tank nodded. "Amen." He gave me a serious look. "You need my help, little girl, you just give me a holler."

I nodded. "Thanks."

Kye, Hector, and I went out to join Manoso.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**Tina's POV**

Man! My head hurt. I struggled to open my eyes, but the pain was intense. I tried moving my arms and legs, but it felt like they were manacled to some kind of board or something. Taking stock of what I might be wearing was nearly impossible without the use of my hands, but it didn't _feel_ as if there were much in the way of clothing on my body. If I had to guess, I'd say I might be in the matching thong bikini set I'd bought for my date with Lester. Regret for not letting nature take its course was at the forefront of my mind, and I swore that when I got out of here, a wild romp with that fine man would be first thing on my agenda.

I heard a scraping sound, as if something was coming closer. Once again, I tried to open my eyes, determined this time to ignore the pain. I needed to see what was going on. Hoping it would help me to get my eyes open, I blinked my eyes rapidly. The pain when I managed to get them open a slit was intense due to the blinding light. I was forced to shut them again.

Shit!

Just when I was getting ready to try again, a low, sinister laugh came from somewhere close by, followed by: "Wakey, wakey, bitch! Time to wake up and give us some fun."

I finally managed to get my eyes open by gritting my teeth and refusing to give into the pain that was screaming through my head. What the hell had they used on me? I looked around and saw myself in what looked like a pine box coffin. The only thing that made no sense was the mirror that I was lying under.

The lid—or rather, the mirror doubling as the lid—was lifted, and there standing over me was the guy and his two friends, who I remembered right before I'd blacked out. There was a clicking sound, like a lock being released, and the sides pressing against me fell flat onto whatever surface I was lying on.

I scanned the room, puzzled by the degree of brightness until I looked above me and froze in momentary fright. It took several seconds for my brain to recognize that the thing was some kind of light device and not a living, breathing, giant spider, which is what it looked like. There were eight lights that were all trained down to where I was positioned, and they seemed to be several times brighter than normal lights.

That explained why this otherwise decrepit room wasn't as dark and dank as my surroundings suggested it should be. The windows were boarded up, with periodic holes in the walls, floor, and ceiling. As I looked around, my mind started spinning at what I was seeing. I'd heard that some people got off on torture, and that's what this room looked like: a torture chamber with various devices scattered throughout the room. There were parts of the room that looked as if they'd been reinforced. In those areas, there were chains with manacles attached. There were whips hanging on the walls, as well as an array of knives, swords, and sabers. What really had me screaming inside my head was the area with wires coming out of what looked like a battery. Unless I missed my guess, electrocution was a distinct possibility.

I did my best to control my reactions, knowing that any show of fear on my part might be my undoing. There was no way I was giving these sick bastards anything if I could help it.

I wondered where we were. How long had I been out? I took stock of my body again, this time to determine what they might have done to me while I was out. I didn't feel as if I'd been violated, but there were a lot of things they might have done.

There was a creaking beside me, and I slid my gaze to the naked body standing beside me now. Somehow, I knew this was the person in charge. He raised his hand and placed it on my body. I went to stop him and realized my hands and ankles were still held in place with the manacles.

There was laughter. I narrowed my eyes and waited for my chance to act.

The leader climbed on top of me and sat on my stomach with his knees resting on either side of whatever I was lying on. The feel of his skin on mine made my stomach turn, and I felt like I was going to hurl.

There were more clicking noises, and I felt my wrists and ankles released. I lost no time in fighting the man on top of me with everything Cam had taught me over the years. One of the advantages of having an older brother in the Rangers was that he made sure I could defend myself. I came up as much as I could and threw a right into his jaw. I ignored the pain in my hand as much as possible and landed whatever blows I could as quickly as I could. I did everything I could to get him off me.

The next thing I knew, there was a pillow in his hands and he was holding it over my face as tightly as he could. As he did that, he made rocking motions on me, simulating the sex act.

I struggled to breathe as I tried to fight him off. When it got to the point that I was no longer able to fight due to lack of oxygen, I stilled and tried to regroup, trying not to panic at my decreasing air level.

When I was totally still for several seconds, he removed the pillow, and I looked up into his face. He was clearly elated from the struggle. He giggled like a madman. "Isn't this fun?!"

The sick bastard was getting off on this. I could see his male anatomy dancing at full salute. For the first time in my life, I was actually afraid _for_ my life.

He lifted up slightly and shifted to my nether regions. It was enough of an opening that I was able to pull my knee up and ram the heel of my foot into his groin. He doubled over, groaning in pain as his two friends grabbed my wrists and ankles.

I struggled, using my reserves to try to fight them off.

Once again, the man on top of me put the pillow over my face and held it down as forcefully as he could. As the last of my strength drained from my body, I heard one of them say, "Don't kill her, Harper. We need her to get the other one. Besides, we haven't had our turns yet."

I thought briefly of Stephanie, and that was the last I knew as darkness claimed me.

**Stephanie's POV**

I sat silently looking out the back passenger seat window, listening to the conversation going on in the front, even though I had no idea what was being said. From the few words I'd managed to catch, I knew they were speaking Russian.

I wasn't paying that much attention. I was too busy congratulating myself for my excellent maneuver that had kept me from having to sit in the front with Manoso. I'd much rather be back here with Kye, where I felt more comfortable. At least…I was until I saw the look on his face. The conversation was dying down when I glanced over at him. From the scowl he wore, I knew that he wasn't happy with what he'd been hearing. He spoke fluent Russian, a fact that the two up front didn't seem to be aware of.

I waited for a moment, expecting Kye to clue me in to what they'd been saying, but he just sat there staring straight ahead. I reached over and flicked his hand to get his attention. That was something I hadn't had to do in years. We'd become so accustomed to reading each other that it hadn't been necessary. Now it worried me, because today, he seemed to be shutting me out. I decided I'd talk to him about this later.

I turned my thoughts to the searches that I'd started earlier today. I had a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach about Tina's disappearance, and I was now frantic to know what had happened to my friend. I wondered if anything had popped up on our radar. My next thought was how I'd be able to move on the information I received from the searches while I was stuck having to pretend that I was married to Manoso. Ugh! What a thought. Having to pretend to be married to that bastard turned my stomach.

I glanced out the window in time to see we were turning into a driveway, where the security gates were opening up so that we could pass through. Manoso pulled the SUV to a stop in front of a huge, three-story house that looked more like a castle than a home.

When the two in front got out, not bothering to see if we were following, I took that as my cue to see if I could get Kye talking. When he went to climb out, I put my hand on his arms and asked, "What's going on?"

For several seconds, I didn't think he was going to tell me. Then he said, "Apparently, the reason you and I can't pretend to be a couple is that Manoso already told them he's married. The guy we're going through has a sister, and he wants her married. He thought Manoso would be a good candidate."

My eyes narrowed. "There's more than that going on."

He gave a single nod of his head. "Originally, they were going to use a woman that sometimes works with them. Seems she's just Manoso's type. Her name is Jeanne Ellen Burrows. But when Manoso and Chopper were out and about, they ran into the Burrows woman and another man. Manoso's been stalling about Chopper meeting his wife to give him time to find a replacement. You just fell into his lap."

I just sat there looking at Kye, knowing there was more, but I didn't know why he wasn't letting me in on all of it.

Finally, Kye expelled a breath and swore. "Damn it, J! I have to pretend I'm with Hector. Apparently that's why Manoso is agreeing to my acting as his bodyguard. Hector wants me close, so they arranged me to shadow Manoso and Hector will protect you. We're both getting screwed on this assignment."

I winced. I knew Kye was still reeling from what happened with Bear, and I wondered if he'd be able to pull this off. I gave a sigh. "I guess we'd better go in and see what else this dog and pony show entails."

We exited the vehicle, and Kye was right beside me as we made our way up to the front door. We entered to see not only Manoso and Hector, but Lester was there, as well. How he'd managed to get here ahead of us when we left the safe house ahead of him, I had no idea.

Lester ginned when we entered the house. He winked at me and said, "Welcome to the family, Beautiful."

If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under. Manoso sent him a glare and snarled something I was too far away to hear.

Although I still couldn't hear what was being said, I read Lester's lips as he responded. I wondered what Manoso had said to make him respond with, "Like hell you will. She's a human being, not one of your playthings. You'll stay the hell away."

When Lester was done speaking, he looked in my direction. Something in the expression on my face must have given away the fact that I was partly aware of what they were saying, because he winced before the boyish smile was once again in place. He winked at me once again before turning and heading into the house.

My gaze moved to Hector and Manoso. Something in the way Hector was looking over Kye had me turning to my partner. The heated look in Kye's eyes told me that although he hadn't totally gotten over Bear, he was definitely attracted to Hector. I hoped he wouldn't be hurt again. I liked Hector, but I wasn't sure of him yet. For all we knew, he could be just like Manoso, only using his partners to scratch an itch.

Before I could say or do anything, Manoso turned, and his sardonic gaze zeroed in on me. "We have some things to work out, Agent, if we're going to manage to convince people we're married."

I shrugged. "Yeah, well, that wasn't my idea. I'd be thrilled to pretend I'm married to Kye."

He looked me over and then turned to Kye, and his expression turned dark. "I don't think so. You may not think so at the moment, but this will help to protect you from Chopper's attentions." His eyes went over me, and I had the sudden need to take a shower. "You're just his type. He'd think nothing of moving in on your partner. He knows what will happen if he moves in on my territory."

"You make me sound like property."

His gaze was still running over me, and even though he didn't say a word, I got the impression that he was thinking I _was_ property. A shower was a definite necessity.

I clenched my jaw and asked, "Where will I be sleeping? I'd like to freshen up." I had a sudden thought, and my forehead wrinkled in a frown as I looked Manoso in the eyes. "And just what am I supposed to do for clothes?"

He made a slight movement with his head, and Hector spoke up. "We have clothes for you. Come. I'll show you."

I made to follow him, when Manoso said, "We'll be having a planning session in twenty minutes, so try not to pull a prima donna routine and take hours."

I stopped, keeping my back to him as I gave him an Italian hand gesture before once again moving to follow Hector from the room.

Hector led the way toward the back of the house on the ground level. He opened a door, and when I walked inside, the view took my breath away. One wall was pure glass. The room was divided to make three rooms, with the dividers being the furniture in the room. On the left, there was an enormous mahogany desk with a black leather chair. There was a state of the art computer system set up that I'd love to get my hands on. The middle section gave room for an enormous four-poster mahogany bed that looked like it would sleep an army comfortably. Nightstands on either side at the head of the bed held intricately designed lamps. To the right, there was a sitting area, complete with sofa, love seat, and chair, as well as a coffee table and end

tables in the same mahogany as the rest of the furniture. The love seat, sofa, and chair were done in shades of blue that were lighter than the plush navy blue carpet throughout the room. The walls were an off white with shades of blue sprinkled throughout. At either side of the wall of glass was a sheer, navy blue curtain panel that could be closed to add intimacy to the room. It was beautiful, everything I'd always wanted in a bedroom.

I turned as I heard a noise, only to see Hector was standing there grinning at me as he held open a door on the far right side of the room. He beckoned me to follow him, so I made my way over. I couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped as I took in the bathroom. The room was bigger than our apartment in London had been. There was a dressing room with a closet full of clothes—for both men and women. The selections were daunting in their volume. I glanced at a few things and noticed they were in my size range. I moved around the room, taking it all in. The shower was calling my name, but I didn't dare give in yet. Twenty minutes wasn't nearly long enough to take the kind of shower I wanted. My eyes sparkled as I saw the shower massager on the shower head, and a grin slipped onto my face.

There was a soft laugh from behind me, and I realized that the moan I thought was in my mind was actually out loud. I turned to see Hector, who was smiling ear to ear.

He waggled his eyebrows at me and winked. "Your secret is safe with me,_ chica_."

I curtsied to him and said, "Why thank you, kind sir."

We both broke into laughter.

He raised his hand with a jaunty wave. "See you in ten minutes. I will take you to the planning room."

I nodded. "I'll be ready."

I had enough time to answer nature's call and freshen up a bit before there was a knock on the door. Figuring it was Hector coming back to show me where the meeting would be taking place, I called out, "Come in."

The tingling on the back of my neck was my first indication that it was Manoso, rather than Hector. My gaze narrowed as I watched him walk into the bedroom.

His eyes were steady on me as he said, "I thought we should take care of this privately before we join the others."

I raised an eyebrow. "Take care of what?"

"The question of whether we can convince Chopper and his friends that we're a couple." His eyes ran over me. "You're generically my type, although you don't dress the part."

I smiled. "You mean there might be an out for me? Gee, how exciting. Does that mean that Kye and I would be the married couple then?"

His eyes hardened. "Cut the attitude." By now, he was within touching distance. "Guess there's only one way to find out."

With that, he took hold of my arm and brought me in close, wrapping his other arm around my waist as his mouth covered mine. There was no warning, and every instinct I possessed urged me to fight. Manoso easily subdued my efforts by making it so I was unable to move my arms as he lowered us to the bed and came down on top of me.

I'm not sure when I stopped fighting him and instead became a willing participant. His hand caressed my clothed body, and I arched into him, needing to get closer to the magic. I felt air on my exposed breasts and struggled to pull his T-shirt from his black cargo pants. I'd almost succeeded when he pulled back to look down at me coldly. Feeling exposed, I put my arms up to protect my breasts from his view.

He smiled sardonically. "Looks like I'm a better actor than I'd thought. I guess I can act no matter who my partner is. As for you, I guess all you have to do is be yourself and the natural slut just comes to the surface."

My hand connected with his cheek. My voice was whisper soft. "Get out!"

His eyes narrowed and he went to lower his head toward mine.

The sound of a gun being cocked was loud in the room. Manoso stilled. I met his gaze head on, lifting my chin. "You have ten seconds to get out of here, or it won't be an issue on who can act and who can't."

He sneered, lifting himself off of me. "By all means. I need to take a shower before the meeting. That's the natural reaction when someone goes slumming it."

He strode into the bathroom, and I had a horrid thought. _Please don't tell me I have to share a room with the bastard_. I curled into a ball and rocked myself for several seconds, trying to get my emotions under control as I heard my mother's voice calling me a whore all over again. For several seconds, I was caught in the horror that had been my childhood. When I finally got up off the bed, I went in search of another bathroom so I could wash the filth from me.

**Ranger's POV**

I headed for the shower the minute I left her, discarding my everyday uniform of black utility belt, fitted black T-shirt, black cargos, black combat boots, and black socks once I'd reached the bathroom. It was when I removed the utility belt that I realized the little minx had used my own weapon on me. I felt my lip start to curl into a semblance of a smile and quickly slammed my blank look in place as I rubbed the left side of my chest, where an ache had formed.

Once I was naked, I stepped into the shower and let the frigid water rain down on my heated body. It wasn't having the desired effect of dousing the arousal I felt. Every time I got close to her, I was in a constant state of arousal. My hunger for her grew in leaps and bounds. I was anxious for this case to be over ASAP so I could act on that desire and bed her, then I could forget her.

I grabbed the soap and started lathering myself up. As I did so, the image of her shattered face when I'd let my wicked tongue have its say was at the forefront of my thoughts. I rubbed the left side of my chest once again to relieve the ache that had taken up residence there. I couldn't understand why this female had such a profound effect on me. When she'd slapped my face, I'd had every intention of letting loose with the verbal barbs that were there ready to be launched. The way she looked at me gave me pause. She was looking at me as if I were a monster. I didn't like that feeling. Maybe Tank was right and I'd become too jaded.

My thoughts went back to the funeral when I was nine and how I'd vowed not to let anyone get close enough to hurt me ever again. Except for my lax with Rachel, I'd kept to that promise. Not even my family had been able to breach my defenses. I'd be damned if I'd let this little FBI agent get under my skin.

I cursed the situation Chopper had forced me into by trying to throw his sister at me. In order to allow him to save face so I could get what I needed from him, I'd come up with a wife. Unfortunately, Jeanne Ellen had showed up at the restaurant where we were dining with a date in tow. Chopper had noticed her. It would have been hard not to, in the black leather ensemble she'd been wearing. She'd looked like the perfect dominatrix.

As she'd passed by our table, Chopper had turned to watch her walking away. He'd turned back to me with an excited look on his face. "I'd love to give that one a go. I'd really show her who was boss."

I'd been scrambling with a way to get out of the bind Jeanne Ellen had unwittingly put me in as he'd continued, "You're sure you wouldn't be interested in my sister? She's the world's oldest virgin at twenty-three."

I'd shaken my head. "I'm off the market. I'm married."

He'd scowled. "You'll have to introduce me sometime."

We'd gone on to discuss the reason I'd manufactured in order to get him to arrange a meeting with King Daje. When our meeting broke up, he hadn't told me anything definite, but I'd been left with the impression that he knew more than he was letting on.

If he'd been hoping to excite me with that little bit of news about his sister, he'd sorely missed the mark. No way was I getting involved with a virgin. My luck, she'd be so blown away by the sex that she'd convince herself she was in love with me and I'd never get rid of her. That was the last thing in the world I needed. No. I was better off sticking with women who'd been around the block a few times and knew the score, like Jeanne Ellen and Agent J.

I stepped under the stinging spray and let the cold water cascade over my still heated skin. After toweling off, I dressed in a duplicate outfit to the one I'd been wearing earlier. Once I was ready, I made my way to the meeting room.

The only reservation I had about using this place was that there had never been a woman in this house before. This was my refuge, and I saw no need to bring home my bed partners. They'd only get the false impression that they were more important than they really were.

As I passed the bed, I saw Agent J once again as she'd been, lying on the bed under me. I absently rubbed the left side of my chest once again as I thought how right she'd looked lying there.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**Tina's POV**

I tried to turn, but the pain in my arms was unbearable. I didn't remember anything having happened to them, so I was confused as to why they would hurt so much. My dreams were laced with voices. Some of them were vaguely familiar, but there was a woman's voice I'd never heard before. It was harsh and sounded gravelly from too many years of smoking cigarettes. What she was saying didn't make sense. Why would she be asking John who the drunk floozy was? And who was John?

I opened my eyes, and it was like there was a film covering them as I tried to make out as much as I could of where I was. I was being carried bride-style, although my neck was hyper-extended so that it was falling backwards over someone's arm.

I took in the three-story dilapidated house that looked more fitting for a Halloween haunted house than an actual residence. There was a late-model green sedan parked in front with license plates 9JRKS RUS. At least, that's what I thought it said. The film made it hard to be sure. There was a sign on the front of the house that proclaimed the place Daisy Mae's Bed and Breakfast Inn.

I shuddered to think of what kind of rooms this place was renting out to people if the outside was anything to go by. Something in the back of my memory tried to surface, but I couldn't quite catch hold of it.

A voice from beside me said, "Don't worry, Mom. We'll keep it down. No one will even know we're here."

The same woman's voice declared, "You'd better. I got my paying guests to think of."

I closed my eyes till they were open just a slit as I felt myself moving up a set of stairs. When we entered the house, I had enough time to see that the interior was as run-down as the exterior. I felt the shift as whoever was carrying me started walking down a steep stairwell. I wanted so badly to move and escape, but it was as if I was paralyzed. There was a loud bang that sounded like an ancient door of a castle closing, and then the light was too bright, which seemed incongruent to the location.

I had no time to think about it anymore as the person carrying me whispered in an excited voice, "Ah, good. You're awake."

The next thing I knew, I was falling through space till I landed on a concrete floor, hitting my head in the process.

How long I was out, I couldn't say, but after struggling to open my eyes, I finally managed and looked around. The reason my arms were killing me was now apparent. My wrists were handcuffed together and attached to a chain that was holding me a few inches off the ground. I swore if I ever got out of this contraption, I was going to beat the shit out of that motherfucker I'd heard them refer to as Harper.

I took stock of myself the best I could. Was that a dream I'd had? Or was it reality? It would explain the intense pain that was still present in my head. I noticed that I was no longer just dressed in just my underwear. This torture chamber of a dress was something else again. If memory served, this was what women wore in the late eighteen hundreds. The material was itchy, and I felt as if I'd been poured into the dress and then it'd been shrunken.

I heard a slithering sound and looked down. It was all I could do not to scream at the terror that I was experiencing. There on the floor beneath me were about a dozen snakes. Although I didn't know much about them, the diamond pattern on the backs of some of them and the rattles on the tail told me that not all of these snakes were friendly.

I took a deep breath and tried to force myself to relax. That's when I made the mistake of looking up. There was the granddaddy of all spiders walking down a string, getting closer and closer to me. As much as I tried, the scream that I was holding back came out. The sound of a whip arcing through the air and snapping and then the biting pain on my backside shocked me into silence.

The man I'd come to know as Harper stepped into view. He was holding a wicked-looking black whip, grinning with excitement. "By all means. Scream! It will only agitate my pets more and cause them to strike. Of course, you won't know if it's them, or if it's me." He started giggling in that high-pitched, "this man is totally off his rocker" kind of way.

Again, I wondered if I'd dreamed the details that were running through my mind, or if they'd actually happened. I tried to grasp that detail that was just at the edge of my memory. Looking around the room, I recognized the place where I'd been the last time that I was awake and they'd come in here. Apparently they'd decided to try another torture device.

I refused to give them the satisfaction of knowing they had succeeded in scaring me. I was biting my cheeks to keep the screams in, refusing to let these bastards win in any way.

Harper's eyes narrowed, but there was still that crazy-person glow. "We have plenty of time. After all, we want you to still be kicking when we bring Agent J into the fold. Ah, the fun we will have with her as we torture you. I've waited a long time for this, ever since she caught my first pupil. I've been refining the game, and now it's ready to play."

He motioned to the other two, and a TV was brought into the room so I was facing it. Harper put a DVD into the machine and turned on the TV so that I could see what was on it. What I saw made my stomach turn. There were scenes from everything I'd been through since I got here, including what was happening now.

I looked at Harper. He had that silly grin on his face as he said, "Yes." He giggled. "Exciting, isn't it? It's time to show Agent J what she has to look forward to."

The whip arced through the air, and once again, I felt the pain on my backside. This time, the intensity was even worse, and I felt myself jerk as if I'd been electrocuted. That was my last thought as darkness claimed me.

When I came to and opened my eyes, I found that my hands were in wooden holes, as was my head. The contraption looked like one of those devices that were used in the fourteen to fifteen hundreds when they had prisoners stand in the stockades. I was dressed in a black leather corset, with my breasts pushed up so the essentials were barely covered. I shuddered as I thought of those three undressing me and dressing me while I was out of it. I didn't feel as if I had been forcefully violated, so at least there was that.

I noticed something moving under my toes, and I panicked as I got a load of what looked like a tarantula under my foot. I had what looked like glass shoes on my foot, but felt more like hard plastic. There was a good five inches between my toes and the floor where the bottom of the shoe rested. It looked like the monstrous spider was inside the shoe. Who in the hell would buy shoes like that? Not only were the shoes ugly, but with that spider in there… I looked over at the other foot and saw there was a humongous spider in that shoe as well. Oh man! I was really going to owe these guys when I got free—and I_ would_ get free. When I did, I was going to staple Harper's balls to the wall. Let's see how he liked this shit!

I shuddered. My eyes were glued to those damn spiders, hoping like hell they couldn't get out of there. I could almost feel them crawling up my leg.

There was a creaking and light spilled into the room where I was. Laughter could be heard, but it was more distant than I would have expected. I heard a woman's voice saying, "Please, Shawn. Don't do that anymore. It hurts."

The words were followed by laughter.

I heard screams and bit my lip so I wouldn't cry out. I found myself praying that Shep would find me and get me out of here. I thought about Stephanie and prayed that they would be thwarted in their bid to kidnap her. Then I prayed once again that I would get free and be able to do all the things to Harper that I'd been thinking of doing. The longer they kept me here, the more pain I wanted to inflict on him.

There was a high-pitched giggle, and I knew in my gut things were going to get worse. I heard footsteps on the stairs and then a creaking as the footsteps got closer. A hand slid up my leg, and I turned in the direction the hand was coming from, glaring. When I saw what he was holding in his other hand, I nearly passed out. I forced myself not to react.

Harper grinned. "I brought you another movie. You'll like this one better. Once again, you're the star." He giggled that madman laugh again.

There was the sound of something being wheeled closer. I tried to look, but was unable to turn my head enough to see what was happening. A male body rubbed up against me, and I shuddered inwardly. Then the stockade was lifted and I was able to move slightly. The two men, John and Shawn, were helping me from the stockade, and each had an arm, leading me over to a table with pulleys set up. What the…? Wasn't this thing called a torture rack? Oh _fuck_!

Just as we reached the table, I felt strong enough to act. I wasn't going on that thing without a fight. I pretended to go down, as if I were falling, and one of the guys let go of my arm. I used that to my advantage and turned to the other one and brought my knee up into his groin. He bent over moaning as I took off running toward the stairs. I nearly fell a couple of times because of the height of the heel on these things. I'd made it up a few of the stairs when a hand clamped around my ankle. I didn't hesitate to bring my foot down on the wrist holding me, and then I felt a shock go through my system, as if I'd been stunned. The world went dark as I felt myself falling.

**Stephanie's POV**

Thirty minutes later, I made my way into the den where the meeting was already underway. Apparently when Manoso said I had twenty minutes, he meant just that. I didn't care. It had been necessary to wash his touch off my skin before I could face him again. For the first time in my career, I wondered if I could actually complete an assignment, or if I was going to have to pass on it. I was still shaking inside from the emotions I'd been forced to relive. Not trusting myself to get within arm's length of him, I made my way over to where Kye was sitting and sat on the arm of his chair.

Manoso paused when I sat down, and I waited for him to comment on my tardiness. For whatever reason, he let it slide and continued explaining the plan.

As much as I wanted to hate the man, and part of me still did hate what he'd done to me, as I sat there and listened to him talk, I was mesmerized by the timbre of his voice. As much as I wanted to deny it, I was attracted to the bastard.

His eyes turned and snared my gaze. He stopped speaking for a moment as his gaze heated. Desire pooled in my nether regions, and I dug my nails into the palms of my hands so I wouldn't do or say anything I'd regret.

A throat clearing pulled my gaze away from him, and I turned to see Lester grimacing. When he saw me looking his way, he grinned and said, "Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?"

Manoso glared at Lester. "Tread lightly."

Lester seemed to sober very quickly at that and became all business. "What time will Chopper and his sister be arriving?"

Manoso looked down at the paper in front of him, a slight frown marring his face. "They'll be here at eighteen hundred. I'm putting them in the guest cottage. They'll take their meals here in the main house with us, and it will be up to Kye and Hector to keep tabs on them. Of course, if you want the pleasure of keeping Annie company…" He left that thought open.

I saw the grimace Lester tried to hide as the last was said. He ran a hand through his hair and replied, "Yeah, well, that wouldn't have been a problem a few days ago. But see, I'm turning over a new leaf."

Manoso raised an eyebrow, and Hector pretended like he was going to choke.

Lester glared Hector's way. "I met someone, okay?"

Hector ginned. "Tina?"

A softness descended on Lester's face and his eyes lit up. "Yeah. Tina." Manoso made a noise which had Lester turning his way before he continued. "I already know your feelings about the female of the species. But Tina's different. I really think we could have something good. I'm planning on taking my vacation when this is over and going back to London and see if we can build something special. I want her to know that I might have been a player in the past, but she's special and I'll do what's necessary to show her just what she means to me."

Manoso grimaced. "You don't even know her."

Lester shook his head. "I know her—" he put his hand over his heart before continuing "—in here."

I bit my lip, wondering if I should let everyone in on the fact that Tina was missing. Before I could say anything, Manoso went on. "You'll have to put your libido on hold until we have this settled. Once we have Daje in the holding cell next to his brother, you can have all the time you need."

Lester grinned. "I'll hold you to that."

It didn't take long to go over the plan of action. Once that was done, Manoso sat back and said, "Dismissed."

Lester pulled his phone out of his pocket and said with a grin, "I have an international call to make." He headed out of the room, and I stood to hurry after him.

Manoso interrupted my departure momentarily to say, "Agent J, I think the two of us have a few more things to discuss."

Without turning, I replied, "It'll have to wait. I have a pressing matter to take care of."

I didn't wait for him to say any more as I hurried to follow Lester. I caught up with him as he was halfway up the staircase, heading to the second floor.

I called out, "Lester?"

He stopped and turned to me. "What can I do for you, Beautiful?"

"I have something to tell you." I lowered my voice. "It's about Tina."

His expression hardened. "I don't want to hear your gossip."

I shook my head. "It's not gossip." I raced up the stairs till I was even with him and whispered, "Tina's been kidnapped. I tried calling her the day I arrived here, but I couldn't get her. I called Shep, and he went to her flat. She was gone. There were signs that she was kidnapped. What's worse…I think the man who took her is a serial killer and I was his real target."

Lester's face blanched and he sat down hard on the stair. His hands clenched and the muscle in his jaw moved, as if it were under tight control. After a couple of seconds, he stood and took hold of my wrist. "Come with me. I have a laptop we can use that might help us to find her."

I shook my head. "I've got a program that puts everything else in the dust. Let me get my laptop and we can go from there."

Lester turned, his gaze locking onto mine. He nodded. "Get your computer and meet me back in the den in two minutes."

I grimaced. "What about Manoso?"

The tingling on the back of my neck had me moving my head from side to side. A deep voice from the bottom of the stairs had me straightening. "What about Manoso what, Babe?"

I turned to face the man in question. I bit my lip.

Before I could answer him, Lester spoke up. "Shep's sister, Tina, has been kidnapped. Agent J has been using a search program to try to find her."

Manoso turned his gaze to Lester. "Use the computer in the den."

Lester nodded. He turned to me. "Get your laptop so we can download the information you have on it."

I nodded, knowing I'd have to tread lightly so I didn't give away how advanced my search programs were. I figured it would be easier to talk to Lester on his own than both him and Manoso. Without hesitation, I hurried to do as Lester asked.

Two minutes later, I was entering the den for the second time. Lester was seated behind the desk, and the computer was up and running. When I moved behind the desk and looked at the screen, my eyes opened wide. Looks like I wouldn't have to worry about explaining why I had access to the program. I set up my laptop and plugged it into the terminal Lester was working on.

When it was ready, I looked up at him and asked, "Where do I send the files?"

Lester shook his head. "Click on where I need to type and use the file there to cover the screen. That way I don't see your program and you won't have access to mine."

Doing as he'd said, when I had the file over the screen, I turned the keyboard to him and he typed in a destination, then hit return. His screen came to life with the searches I'd already started. When I got a good look at the faces on the screen, I couldn't stop the gasp that came out.

**A/N: Thank you Elena for the shoes.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

**Stephanie's POV**

I closed my eyes and nearly swayed. My only thought was, _No! Not Tina! _It had taken me over eight months the last time I went after this guy, and if I was to believe everything in front of me, he'd managed to make it look like his "brother" was the one that had done all the killing. From the looks of what was on the screen, there was a whole brotherhood out there. I turned to Lester and saw the fierce look on his face. "You recognize him too, don't you?"

He met my gaze. He didn't need to say a word, as it was there in the look in his eyes. His hands clenched as he said, "I want everything you have on him. I have some friends who can help us find them while we're being sidelined with King Daje."

I didn't even hesitate. This was one of my best friends we were talking about, and I'd do anything I had to in order to find her before she wound up like the other victims. I moved so that I could call up the file I had, and when I clicked on it, I gasped again. Just like the last time I'd gone after the Ripper's copycat, a screen popped up with a live stream from where Tina was being held. I categorized the scene in seconds. Something was pulling at a distant memory, but I couldn't quite grasp what it was.

I heard Lester's growl and turned to him. "We'll find her. It's me he really wants. He won't kill her until he has me to watch. That's his end game. He wants to terrorize me by making me watch him kill her before he kills me."

Lester's eyes look haunted. "How can you know that?"

I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose before admitting, "Because that's what he did the last time, only I caught him before he could get me. From the looks of things, though, I didn't catch the real deal, only a fellow student of his."

I moved over to a chair and sat down hard. Without raising my head to look at him, I asked, "Who do you have that can help us find her?"

"I work with a whole building of ex-military personnel. Since leaving the service, we've been called in for…special missions."

I looked up, meeting his gaze. "Normally, I wouldn't share any of this with anyone other than A." I lifted my chin. "I need to get a message to Shep."

Lester nodded. "Don't worry, Beautiful. I'll take care of getting him the information."

I stood, walking around so I was beside Lester once more. I leaned over the desk and typed data into another search. I'd just remembered what had been nagging at the back of my mind. In less than a minute, I had a map and the co-ordinance I needed. I couldn't pinpoint the area any more than I had, but I now had proof that Tina was being held in the Pine Barrens.

Lester was watching me work, and when he saw what I'd discovered, he let out an oath.

Ignoring him for the moment, I continued to work. When I had everything I could get from the program, I stood, putting my hands on my hips and letting out the disgusted sigh. This area was tricky at best, and I'd known several people to get lost in there for days.

He placed his hand on my forearm and said, "We'll find her. I won't accept anything else but that we find her alive and well."

Looking his way, I paused, then said, "I pray that you're right."

Over the next hour, Lester and I worked tirelessly together in our bid to find Tina as quickly as we could. I was frustrated that I couldn't narrow the field any more than I already had. We were running out of time, because in less than thirty minutes, Chopper and his sister Annie would be here, and we'd all be needed for the dinner meeting to welcome them.

Lester slammed his fist down on the desk. "I don't want to stop—I want to keep looking—but we have to get ready for our visitors."

I looked longingly at the computer screen. Deciding to start the searches we needed to run on the three new guys that had come up on the radar, I typed in the information and sent the engines to gather the information we desperately needed.

Just as I was about to lock the laptop onto diagnostic so it could continue to run even though the computer would technically be offline, Lester once again placed a hand on my arm. There was a serious look in his eyes when I turned to him.

"Be careful, Beautiful. My cousin is a charming man when he wants to be. I don't want you to get hurt by forgetting that he's only acting. He hates women. But he would have no compunction about taking you to bed if you let him."

I shook my head. "I want nothing to do with him."

Les looked at me like he didn't believe what I was saying. "I felt the heat between the two of you when we were in here talking about the plan. There's chemistry between you two. He could hurt you really bad, though, if you let him get close."

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him why Manoso hated women, but I stayed silent. As if he knew where my thoughts had been, his jaw clenched before he lifted his head slightly and quietly said, "Ranger was left alone with his mother from around the age of five when his father died till he was nine, and his mother was beaten to death. She was a whore, sleeping with any man that was willing to pay what she asked. She was brutal to Ranger and seemed to get off on being cruel to him."

My heart bled for that scared little boy that I instinctively knew he'd been. Seemed we had more in common than I'd thought. I could understand his feelings toward women, although that didn't excuse the way he treated virtual strangers like me. Looking up at Lester, I noticed he was watching me with a seriousness that made me uncomfortable, as if he could see into my mind and knew what I was thinking.

Before either of us could say anything, Lester's phone vibrated. He took it out and looked at the screen before grimacing. "Looks like company is here sooner than we thought." He stood, holding out his arm. "Shall we?"

I quickly locked down the system before closing the laptop, then took his arm so he could lead us to the den, where we'd be starting this show.

We were the last ones to arrive. Ranger was there, seeming relaxed as he sat facing Chopper and his sister Annie. I took in their appearance in the first seconds of being in the room.

Chopper was a big man that I'd hate to meet in a dark alley somewhere. His head turned in our direction when we entered, and the look in his eyes as they slid over my body had me wanting to climb into the shower and wash the feel of his gaze off my body. He was taller than Manoso from the look of him, but he didn't have the powerfully toned build that Ranger did.

Annie, on the other hand, was petite, barely topping off at five feet maybe, if she stood on tiptoes. She was pretty in a girl next door kind of way, with dimples in each cheek. She made you want to take care of her and protect her. There was something endearing about her, and I found myself happy that Manoso hadn't decided to use her as a way to get close to her brother.

As Lester and I made our way farther into the room, I smiled at the younger woman, and she shyly returned the gesture. I joined Annie on the sofa, and Les sat on the arm beside me.

"I'm happy to meet you, Annie, isn't it?"

She giggled. "Yes. I really appreciate you and your husband inviting me along. I get scared when I'm on my own."

As I continued smiling at her, I looked her over carefully, but saw no sign that she was being mistreated by her brother. This did cause a bit of concern, though. If Chopper were to get arrested when this was over, or worse, what would happen to Annie?

Chopper seemed to be eyeing both Lester and me. Before he could say anything, a low, deadly voice said, "I suggest you put your eyes back in your head before they go dark…permanently."

I turned to see Manoso glaring at Chopper.

Annie started to fidget, and I placed a hand on her leg. "It's okay. Ranger's a little overprotective when it comes to me. You're perfectly safe here, Annie."

She turned to me and seemed to relax a bit.

Chopper kept his gaze averted from me, but I caught him eyeing Lester and then looking at Annie. I had a feeling he was weighing up his chances of finding a husband for little sister after all.

Lester seemed to be aware of the danger he was in as well. He started dropping Tina's name all over the place.

I put my hand up to hide my smile, and just when I was about to burst out laughing, Hector and Kye entered, along with a young man with a bandana around his forehead and tied at the back. The newcomer was somewhere between Hector's height and Kye's—every bit as built as Lester, Kye, and Manoso—and he was a stunningly beautiful young man in his early to mid-twenties. His blond hair and blue eyes were startling beside his tanned skin. He scanned the room, and when our eyes met, he smiled. The dimples in his cheeks only added to his beauty. Although the bandana was incongruent with the rest of his looks, it didn't detract from them.

He winked at me and said, "Your dinner is ready, boss lady."

My eyes widened, and in my peripheral vision, I saw Manoso glare at him. The blond didn't even seem to notice, but he did turn from me to Ranger. The blush on his cheeks was endearing as he continued, "Uh…sorry, boss. If you want to eat while it's hot, best get your asses in gear."

The snickers coming from Lester almost had me laughing out loud, but I managed to hold it in…just barely.

Manoso stood, his voice too low to catch what he was saying, but watching his lips, I was able to get what he was said. _"If you don't want a trip to the mats when this is over, I suggest you watch your step, Binkie."_

I couldn't help it. When _Binkie_ rolled his eyes and gave a mock salute, I lost it. The others turned to me, looking at me as if I'd lost my mind, except I saw the twinkle in Binkie's eyes. I knew he'd be a kindred spirit.

Lester took my hand and pulled me up beside him. "Come on, Beautiful. Let's get some food in you. You're getting punchy."

This time, it was Binkie that burst out laughing.

My gaze slid to Kye, and I saw him shake his head and mouth, "Another one bites the dust."

I crossed my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him after making sure no one else was looking my way, but not only did Lester and Binkie see and start coughing to keep from laughing, but Manoso's gaze was boring into me. I had a feeling this wasn't the last of this incident.

I went to take Lester's arm, but Manoso moved over and took my hand out of Lester's grasp and place my hand on his own arm. Our gazes met, and I felt the blaze of heat from him engulf me. My lips parted, and all I could think about was what it felt like to have his mouth on mine. He lifted his free hand and caressed my cheek. We were brought back to the present by the clearing of throats. I felt my cheeks heat and turned to take in the others, shivering at the look on Chopper's face.

Ranger moved us toward the formal dining room and sat me to his right, with Hector sitting beside me, and then he took his own seat with Kye sitting to his left and Les sitting beside Kye. Chopper was directed to the opposite end from Ranger, with his sister seated beside Hector, and Binkie sat beside Lester once he'd put the food on the table.

The food looked delicious. Fried chicken, twice baked potatoes—with butter, sour cream, bacon, garden onions, and shredded cheese all blended and baked in the potato skin—tossed salad, and a fruit cup with a mix of different fresh fruit. I moaned with my first bite and dug into the food on my plate.

When we'd taken our last bite, Binkie stood, saying, "I'll be right back with dessert."

He went through a door that I assumed led to the kitchen, and less than a minute later, he was back with a tray. It contained plates, forks, and my favorite dessert of all time: pineapple upside-down cake with whipped topping on the side.

When my dessert was placed before me, I got a bite on my fork and put it in my mouth, closing my eyes as I did so in order to be able to savor my treat better. I moaned as the flavors exploded in my mouth, and I didn't stop until I swallowed my last bite. I put my fork on the plate and looked up, feeling eyes on me, and saw that not only were Binkie, Les, and Chopper looking my way, but so was Manoso.

My cheeks heated, but before I could say anything, Manoso laid his hand on my arm and smiled. I felt the hitch in the region of my heart and nearly missed what he said.

"I like watching you enjoy your food, Babe. It reminds me of your other appetites."

My lips parted and I was speechless.

His eyes went to my parted lips, and he leaned in, taking my mouth with his.

The sounds of throats clearing brought me back to the present.

The sound of a glass shattering caused me to look up, and I noticed that Chopper's hand was holding what was left of his broken glass. The lust in his eyes as he looked my way had me thinking my dinner was going to make a reappearance.

Ranger placed a hand over my own, which were resting on the table. I turned my hand so I could grasp his hand for comfort as well as courage. His eyes narrowed, as if he sensed the emotions I was feeling. He turned to Chopper and said, "I'm sure you'll understand if we part ways. Hector and A…ce will show you to the guest cottage, where you'll be staying. If you should need anything, just let them know."

Chopper's eyes slid over me, and there was a knowing smile on his face. "I'd love some of what you're going to be getting."

Ranger's face darkened as he growled. "Don't even think about it."

I could see the indecision as Chopper studied Ranger, deciding if he should chance his displeasure. He shuddered as if he'd had a sudden thought and then turned away. His laugh was forced as he said, "No worries, Ranger. I want no trouble with you."

Ranger's face was stony as he stood and helped me to my feet. He wrapped his arm around me and looked down at me with a look of adoration on his face. "That's good. I don't think you'd like where I'd send you if I found out you were hitting on my wife." Then, as if he'd had another thought, he added, "If I were to get wind of you even thinking about her in that kind of way, I might have to get creative with a lesson on just why that would never be tolerated."

I could see Chopper visibly pale.

With that, Ranger led me to his bedroom, not stopping until we were behind closed doors.

As soon as we were alone, Ranger placed a finger under my chin and lifted it so I was looking into his face. "Are you all right, Babe?"

I nodded, swallowing before saying, "I'm good to go."

His finger caressed my cheek.

My lips parted, but before he could make a move, there was a knock on the door.

It opened and Hector slid into the room. His eyes were twinkling as he said, "We'll be moving to the guest cottage to watch your guests."

Manoso nodded to him. "Dismissed."

Hector shook his head. "Not before I give your wife this."

He stepped forward and placed a ring on the ring finger of my left hand.

I narrowed my eyes as I took in the beautiful ring. Something about it seemed more than what it should be. I gave Hector a questioning look, and he nodded.

Hector touched a spot on the ring and said, "If you ever get in trouble, press that spot and I will find you."

I nodded, giving him a smile, and said, "Thank you, Hector."

"_De nada_." He backed away, but before he turned to go, he asked, "What name will you use? We can't call you J or Agent."

I hadn't thought of that. Before I could choose a name, though, Manoso spoke up, saying, "It seems as if all of you already have a nickname for her. Just go with those."

Hector nodded and left us alone.

I was suddenly feeling extremely nervous now that we were alone in the room.

Manoso nodded to the bed and said, "You can have the bathroom first. Then you can get settled in bed while I'm in there."

Debating whether to just go with it or to see if there was another room I might use, Manoso made the decision for me when he said, "You won't need to worry about your…virtue. I have no interest in taking our act any further once we're behind closed doors."

Without a word, I grabbed the overly large T-shirt like I usually slept in and headed for the bathroom. Once I'd taken advantage of using the facilities, I changed clothes, and went out to the bedroom and climbed under the covers.

Manoso took his turn in the bathroom, and I forced my mind to shut down. I was asleep before he came back out and climbed into bed.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

**Ranger's POV**

As I surfaced from sleep, the intensity of light in the room told me I'd done something I'd never done before. I'd automatically woken at four a.m. every morning for the past twenty-five years of my life. Since the day after my father's funeral, I'd been waking up at four to run.

When I was five, my thought was to run away from the hellhole I was forced to live in. I'd get as far away as my legs would take me, and then when I was too tired to continue, I'd slowly walk back to the house and sneak inside before_ she_ found out I'd left.

Over the next four years, I'd found that the morning runs helped me to deal with the stress she'd put me through. She'd seemed to get a kick out of picking up men that liked to beat me while she sat and laughed. Once they finished, she'd let them screw her any way they wanted; sometimes, I'd still been lying on the floor as they'd done the deed.

I'd learned to hate her more and more every day. The only time I was marginally happy was when I'd be pushing myself to run faster and longer.

That final day, I'd been late getting back. It seemed the man she'd brought home the night before had woken in a mood and he'd wanted to beat on something. When they couldn't find me, he'd started beating on her.

_I crept into my room just in time to see him hit her and to see her falling. She pointed in my direction, and the man turned to me with a vicious smile. He took a step toward me, and I straightened, determined to fight back. This time, the first punch wasn't coming when I was sound asleep—I was awake and ready._

_He moved in closer, and as he swung his fist to connect with my head, I ducked and threw a punch of my own, connecting with his gut. He bent over and started retching. Once he'd gotten himself under control, he stood and turned on the woman on the floor. I couldn't even think of her as my mother; she'd ceased to be that too long ago to count._

_He took out his rage on her that he was unable to take out on me since I was fighting back. When the last hit had connected, I knew by the sound of bone breaking that she was dead before she fell to the floor, eyes opened and unseeing. The man turned to me and had said, "If you tell a soul, I'll find a way to kill you. Just like I did her."_

_I had no doubt he meant what he'd said, but I didn't have to worry. As he was leaving the house, I noticed he was carrying a leaky gas canister and there was a trail leading to the house. I moved quickly and gathered the two things I always kept with me and then went out the window, moving around the house till I came to where he was stopped. He had a cigarette in his mouth and lit it, holding the burning match in his hand. He took a draw on the cigarette and then took it out of his mouth, readying it to drop onto the trail of gasoline._

_I saw something he didn't seem to be aware of. There were dark spots on the hem of his jeans where the gasoline had spilled, as well as on his boots. He got a sick smile on his face as he let go of the cigarette. At that moment, the flame from the match had reached his fingers and he dropped the lit match as well. Not only did the flames race toward the house where he thought I still was, but the flames also raced toward him, as well. _

_I moved slightly, and his gaze turned to me, his eyes widened. Whether I'd distracted him from the movement of the flames or what, I didn't know. As if he'd suddenly become aware of the danger he was in, he looked down and started dancing, trying to put out the flames. He only succeeded in making them move faster, and as he was engulfed in flames, all I could remember was how I just stood there as that woman had pleaded with me to save her and how it should be me getting the beating instead of her._

I'd still been standing right there when the fire department and the police had arrived. I'd been checked over, and Celia had been called to come get me.

The next morning, my internal alarm had gone off at four a.m., and I'd gone running. When I'd returned, the police were there and I'd walked in to see Celia crying. She'd rushed over to hug me, and I'd just stood there, emotionless. The officer had told her I'd probably found my own way of dealing with everything and the running was good for me. She'd nodded and told me I was free to run whenever I'd like, but she'd need me to tell her before I left so she wouldn't worry when she couldn't find me. I'd nodded, and our routine had been established.

I'd never slept past four a.m. since. Until today.

I let my senses take stock of what was going on around me. From my experience in the Rangers, I'd found that I didn't need to open my eyes in order to get a feel for my surroundings.

The first thing that registered was that there was a weight on top of me and my black silk boxers were tented to the point I thought there was a distinct possibility the fabric might rip at any moment. I drew in a breath and knew instantly the fragrance was hers.

My hand came up to explore. Her skin was soft, and as I caressed her, the heat intensified. I'd never felt this much before. As my hand reached her ass, I felt her start to move on top of me. I bit my cheeks so that the moan I'd been about to let loose didn't make it past my lips to be heard.

I was reluctant to open my eyes. This wasn't real. I was feeling too much and I didn't want to admit that I wasn't sure how to handle this. She felt so good as my hand caressed her body, and her head moved, nuzzling into my throat as she wiggled a bit. Her lips made contact with my skin and it was all I could do not to move us so that she was under me and take her. It was unreal how much I wanted her…like no one I'd ever met before. Reining in my hormones, I maneuvered us so that we were lying facing each other and let my hands explore freely. I had no compunction about accepting what she was freely offering. I was an opportunist.

My eyes opened as my hand caressed her cheek and my lips hovered over hers, and I realized her eyelids were fluttering. When her eyes opened, they were heated pools that reminded me of a stormy ocean. Her desire was there for everyone to see. In the next moment, her eyes widened and she scrambled off the bed before I could stop her.

It was then that I'd realized she'd been asleep and was just now waking up. The next moment, her eyes widened, and before I could stop her, she scrambled off the bed, looking frantic. She fumbled with the lock on the sliding glass doors and then raced through, falling from sight.

My heart stuttered momentarily to a stop before it started racing. Not caring if the whole world saw me in my skivvies, I raced to where Stephanie was lying, too still, on the ground. I'd only stopped to push the button that would call the guys to our location. Careful so as not to move her until her condition could be assessed, I checked for a pulse and lowered my head in silent gratitude to whatever God was watching out for her.

She was bleeding from the left forearm, but that looked more like her previous injury had once again been re-opened. I was more concerned with the way her head was resting on the rock I spotted. I used one of the towels I'd grabbed on my way out of the room and gently wrapped it around the wounded area. Although I'd had the same rudimentary first aide class as the rest of my men, so I knew the basics, I'd feel much better when Lester got his ass over here. The only one of my men that had more medical knowledge than Lester was Bobby.

Just at that moment, the man in question skidded to a stop beside me. I felt the monster rear its head when I heard his whispered oath. "Beautiful! What happened?"

I had no time to answer, because Hector and Agent A arrived as well. A started swearing, and there was murder in his eyes when he looked my way. "What did you do to her, you bastard?"

My eyes narrowed. "I didn't do anything. She woke up and just bolted out of the bed."

He ran his hand though his hair, and I took note that it was shaking.

My gaze went to Hector, and I could see he was seeing the same thing, but didn't seem bothered by the man's reaction to the woman. Hector put a hand on A's shoulder and spoke gently. "The boss will take care of your little sister."

A turned to him, blinking as if seeing him for the first time. After several seconds, he turned back to me and said, "If I find out this is because you were putting the moves on her, Manoso, you'll rue the day. She can't handle that kind of shit on top of everything else that's going on."

I studied him for several seconds, trying to make sense of what he was saying. I was pulled from my thoughts when Lester spoke up.

"There are no broken bones. If you could carry her back inside, we can get her cleaned up. We need to keep an eye on her for concussion, though."

I gently maneuvered my hands so they were under her and carefully lifted her into my arms. I made sure her head was rested against my chest and cautiously carried her inside the house, not stopping till I could place her on my bed.

Hector and A were dispatched to keep an eye on Chopper and his sister, and I left Agent J with Lester while I showered and got dressed. As I stepped beneath the icy spray of the shower, I couldn't believe the feelings that were running through me. Sentiments that I hadn't felt in over ten years. The worst of them was the fear when I saw her lying like a broken doll and I'd thought she was dead. I reached up and rubbed at the spot on the left side of my chest where the ache was the worst. Closing my eyes, I let the water pour over me as I fought for control of my emotions once again.

**Stephanie's POV**

I was dreaming, but everything felt so real, it was hard to tell where fantasy left off and reality began. The heat beneath me was intense, like I was sleeping directly on a furnace. Every nerve in my body was on heightened alert as I felt the hand run down my arm and caress every inch of my skin. I couldn't hold back a moan of desire. This was the first time I'd ever felt like this. It was too much and, at the same time, not enough.

I moved my head, letting my lips explore the naked flesh beneath me. I felt myself moving so I was lying facing someone, rather than being on top of them. His hands were like magic as they explored my heated flesh. When I felt the hand on my cheek, I couldn't ignore the pull to consciousness any longer, and my eyes started to flutter open.

My eyes widened on seeing Manoso lying on his side, looking at me with heated eyes. The lust I could plainly see had me stiffening as I heard my mother's voice screaming at me, _Slut! Whore! _

I scrambled off the bed, not caring about anything but getting away. I ran unseeing out the sliding glass doors, barely able to get the lock undone and the door opened, and promptly went flying off the deck, falling three feet to lie on the ground. My last thought before the world turned black was that I wouldn't let her be right about me.

_**~oOo~**_

I didn't know how long I'd been out, but my first thought was that my head hurt, as well as the fact my left forearm felt like it was on fire. My eyes fluttered open, and I looked up into Lester's friendly face. "What happened?"

The look of relief on his face was instant. "I'm glad to see you awake, Beautiful. You gave us all a scare."

I smiled weakly before admitting, "I had to get away from her voice."

Lester frowned. "Whose voice? It was just you and Ranger in the room."

I went to shake my head, but winced as pain sliced through my skull. The room started to swim, and I felt like I was going to get sick. I swallowed several times in quick succession before saying, "It's a memory."

Lester's eyes bored into me for several seconds before he asked, "Did Ranger do something he shouldn't have?"

I grimaced, and my eyes flew to take in the area around us, making sure that he was the only one there to hear. "It wasn't what he did. It was how I reacted to it that upset me. I just had to get away." My eyes lowered, as if I was ashamed to have him see what was in them.

He tapped a finger to my chin. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

My gaze connected with his. He shook his head. "My cousin better treat you right, or he'll answer to me." He stood. "I can't give you any pain killers because I think you have a slight concussion. I don't want you to sleep for too long at a time until we can get that checked out. We'll be waking you every two hours when you're sleeping, just to be safe."

I grimaced. "I've been through the drill before."

Lester frowned. "That doesn't make me feel any better. As a matter of fact, now I'd rather take you to the nearest hospital and have you checked out by a specialist."

For some reason his reaction struck me as funny and I laughed. Before I could say anything more, Ranger joined us and Les left after I asked him to look into the information on Tina.

Watching Lester walk away, I hoped he'd find something on the searches so we'd have a clue where Tina was. We had a limited time frame to find her if this sick bastard was the one I'd had dealings with in the past. I was hoping we'd have a slightly bigger window because they wanted me to witness how they'd kill Tina. As long as I stayed out of their clutches, Tina would still be alive. At least, I hoped that's how it would work.

When I was once again alone with Manoso, my eyes widened as he knelt down in front of where I was sitting on the bed.

My hands were clenched together so hard that my fingers hurt.

His hands covered mine, gently caressing them, and his tone was gentle as he asked, "What happened, Babe?"

I lowered my head, not wanting to explain the emotions that had raced through my mind as I'd heard that hated voice calling me those words. I felt his gentle touch on my chin as he raised my face so that our eyes met. I bit my lip, and his thumb softly touched my lips and caressed where my teeth had made their mark. The pain in my chest was intense as I fought the tears that were ready to fall.

He moved slightly so that instead of kneeling in front of me, he was sitting on the bed beside me. One hand went to my back as he pulled me into his embrace. "It's okay, Babe. You can tell me anything."

I looked up, seeing the truth in his statement written on his face. I studied him for several seconds before telling him what was bothering me. "I didn't have the best childhood. Let's just say my mother left a lot to be desired and I have a few hang-ups because of it."

The corner of his mouth lifted. "Looks like we have something in common. My…_mother_ wasn't exactly a candidate for Mother of the Year, either."

I smiled weakly. "Yeah, that would be the last thing mine would have won. She would have run away with Witch of the Year, though."

Ranger threw back his head and laughed. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the man. I grinned and let go with a laugh of my own. When the laughter died, we sat there looking into each other's eyes. He leaned forward to cover my mouth with his.

I froze when he was a breath away, and once again, he lifted my chin so I was looking up at him. His voice was gentle as he whispered, "Shh. It's okay, Babe. Just a light kiss, nothing heavy. You're safe."

His lips felt like butterfly wings on mine, and then they were gone.

I reached my hand up and ran my finger over his lips.

He watched me silently. When I pulled my hand away, he winked at me and said, "It's time to get ready. We'll be meeting with Chopper and Annie for breakfast in a little over an hour. I'm hoping to get the information we need today so we can put a plan in motion to get King Daje. The sooner that happens, the happier I'll be."

I nodded. "I've seen the results left behind by the two brothers. I think we'll all be happier when they're where they can't hurt another innocent."

With that, I moved into the bathroom and got ready for the day.

**Lester's POV**

When Agent J laughed, I couldn't help but smile at the sound. I felt like everything dark and ugly inside of me had just been washed away and only goodness was left in its wake. She was truly beautiful, transforming the world around her so it was a beautiful place.

For the first time since meeting Tina, I actually felt like I deserved to feel this happy and was worthy to explore these feelings with her.

Before I could say any more, Ranger entered the bedroom and glared at me. I lifted an eyebrow and turned slightly, seeing myself in the mirror for the first time. The smile on my face looked a little dopey, but I couldn't shake this feeling that I had inside just being around Agent J. I also knew if I didn't wipe the look of my face, I might wind up waking up in some third world country with only a toothpick to get myself out of there and back home. I wiped my hand over my face, doing the best I could to remove the sappy smile.

When I looked at Ranger again, he gave a sharp nod, so I must have done a passable job. I winked at Agent J and said, "If you need me, just give a holler."

I went to go, but she put a hand on my arm. I turned to look back at her, and she said, "Tina. Can you check on the searches and see if anything showed up?"

I nodded. I was anxious to find her too. I'd just found the person that I knew I could spend the rest of my life with, and I'd be damned if I was letting someone take that away from me.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

**Tina's POV**

My first conscious thought as I woke was that I was cold. My senses told me that I was sitting in water. I frowned as I felt something attached to my arms and legs. I struggled to open my eyes. The concussion I suspected I had was still playing havoc with my head. When I finally managed to get them open, I froze in fear.

I shivered involuntarily from the coldness of the water. I was in some sort of deep tub that was filled with ice cold water—there were still ice cubes floating on the top. My wrists were handcuffed to a bar above my head, but my arms weren't stretched tight; my elbows were resting on the edge of the tub. My feet were spread apart, and each ankle was manacled to the same bar. The bar was a single pole where my hands were, but when it reached the part of the tub where my feet were raised into the air, my legs stretched tight, the bar branched out to look like a T. One ankle was chained to each end of the T bar, leaving my legs spread wide.

I was dressed in the same barely there panty set, and although I wasn't thrilled with the fact that these assholes felt they could dress and undress me at whim, what really had me freaked was the fact that there were electrodes hooked up to my breasts, arms, and legs. Beside the tub was a box with switches, and I was guessing that this was some sort of electric shock torturing device. _Shit_!

I closed my eyes and prayed once more that someone would find me.

A door opened somewhere in the room, and I cringed as I heard footsteps on the stairs.

I willed myself to keep my eyes closed as long as possible. I didn't want them seeing my fear. I had to dig deep to come up with the moxy not to give these monsters what they wanted. If I showed them fear, I'd be lost.

I could feel them getting closer. A hand reached out and touched me, and I twisted to get away from the filthy touch. My body jerked as electricity raced through my body, and I felt like someone had just pressed a stun gun to my skin.

There was a laugh. "That was the first setting. Before we're done, you'll become acquainted with all ten settings."

With that, all three men started laughing.

Another jolt of electricity ran through my body, and my body convulsed. My head went under the water, and I felt like I was going to drown. I tried to hold my breath until the convulsions stopped, but toward the end, my lungs felt like they were going to burst. I gulped in, trying to get oxygen into my lungs, and got water instead. The world went black.

**Stephanie's POV**

By the time Ranger and I reached the breakfast room, the rest of our group, including our guests, were already seated at the table and enjoying their food. The first thing I noticed was that Annie seemed to be upset about something. I glanced up at Ranger to see if he'd picked up on it. Without taking his gaze off the scene in front of us, he leaned down till his lips were caressing my ear and softly said, "I see it. See what you can find out while we talk to Chopper."

Knowing that the end game was to do what we needed to do in order to catch King Daje, I gave a slight nod. I lifted my head, as if I were encouraging him to cover my lips with his, and for a moment, there was a heated look in his eyes before he banked it and gently kissed me. When his lips left mine, I keenly felt their loss. It took me a moment to regroup and turn my attention to the room in front of us.

Ranger helped me into the seat next to his, and the game started.

While keeping my attention on the conversation going on around me, I filled my plate and dug in. My eyes had lit up as I'd seen the Boston Creams and I'd made sure to put two of them on my plate. Taking my first bite, I moaned in pleasure as the tastes from the doughnut exploded in my mouth. I was suddenly aware of a halt of conversation, and I looked around the table as I chewed the bite that was in my mouth.

Ranger had a smile on his face, and his hand came out and cupped my jaw. He gently caressed my cheek with his thumb before leaning in to kiss me lightly, whispering, "Another moan like that, and he just might spill everything he knows."

I frowned, not sure how I was supposed to take that. Just as I was about to say something, Ranger leaned the few inches needed and put his lips on mine. Before he moved his head away, he told me, "You're perfect, Babe." His voice lowered. "Plus, this will give me the chance to make sure he knows that you're mine and I don't share."

There was something in his eyes as he said the last. I put on a smile, and when he released me, I went back to my breakfast. I felt eyes on me, and when I raised my eyes, I saw that Chopper was looking at me as if I were his next meal. I shivered.

Ranger's eyes narrowed at my action, then scanned the table as if to see what had caused my discomfort. When he reached Chopper, he stopped, and the look on his face would have made a hardened criminal piss their pants.

Chopper wasn't unaffected. He swallowed hard, and his gaze darted away from me to where Hector happened to be sitting. He paled, and I could see him struggle to swallow.

I turned to look Hector's way and was floored at the menace emanating from him. If I'd thought Ranger had looked frightening, Hector was every bit as ominous as Ranger at that moment.

I placed my hand on Ranger's forearm.

He looked down at my hand, and then his gaze lifted until our eyes met. I wasn't sure how to maneuver us out of this minefield, because that's exactly what this felt like all of a sudden. I was about ready to send them all to their rooms just to ease the tension, when Annie spoke up.

"Has Clarence told you about his pet alligator?"

My eyes widened as I turned to her, wondering if Chopper really had an exotic pet or if this was just a ploy. Then it registered that she'd called him Clarence. I whipped my head around and took a good, hard look at him, and sure enough… There under all the hair was the same asshole that had taken my sister Val to Lover's Lane and told her they'd run out of gas. She'd only been sixteen at the time, and she'd come home with a torn dress. She'd promised she was telling the truth when she'd told me he hadn't done anything more that put his hands on her and tear her dress, and I'd promised her that one day, he'd have blue balls for treating her that way.

My chin lifted as my eyes hardened on the man in front of me. Now I just needed to bide my time so that we could get the information we needed out of him before I made good on that promise that I'd made so long ago.

I turned to Annie and forced a smile onto my face. "No. I wasn't aware…_Clarence_ had a pet alligator. He must have forgotten to mention it."

Chopper gave a raspy chuckle. "I don't tell folks. Mr. Jingles guards all my valuables. No getting past him."

Annie shuddered. "I think he'd make great alligator stew someday. If he didn't love chicken so much, I would have been gator bait a long time ago. You want him to guard that safe you keep under the sofa, but he doesn't seem to know that's the only thing he's supposed to be doing, not scaring me every time I turn around."

Chopper scowled and sent Annie a telling look. He was upset about what Annie had said.

I ran through everything, and when I thought about the safe, I looked across the table to where she was sitting and noticed that she dipped her head, as if telling me I was on the right track. I looked down at her shaking hand. Smiling, I asked, "Are you done with your breakfast, Annie? Would you like to join me for a walk while the men do their men stuff?"

Annie's eyes lifted to mine, and she smiled shyly. "I'd love that. I haven't had much chance to go walking lately. I've been tied to the apartment for way too long."

I smiled. Pushing my plate away, I stood and waited for Annie to follow suit.

Ranger grabbed my hand gently and lifted it to his mouth. "Hector will give you some privacy, but he'll still be close by."

I grinned, leaned down, and put my lips against his, whispering, "Make it look good. _Clarence_ is watching."

His mouth took mine, and my mind turned to mush as sensations bombarded my senses. The sound of throats clearing and a muttered, "Get a room," were the only things I heard. All too soon, Ranger released my mouth, and I swayed. He steadied me until I was able to keep myself upright on my own. As I looked at him, something melted in the region of my heart.

Since this was my first time exploring this area, I felt infinitely better that Hector was there with us as we walked the ground. He didn't come close enough to interfere with our conversation, yet he was close enough that if we ran into trouble, he'd be there to deal with it.

We hadn't been walking long when Annie came to a stop and turned to me. "Mrs. Manoso, may I be frank with you?"

I sent Annie a friendly smile and said, "Please, call me J."

She looked at me with a puzzled expression, but rather than comment, she merely nodded. "I know Clarence is trying to get me married off. I'm not looking forward to the day that he actually succeeds. I prayed about our trip here, and for some reason, I have this overwhelming feeling that I should tell you everything I know about Clarence's business practices."

I kept my gaze steady on her. I didn't want to spook her, but if she knew something that might lead us to the information we needed, then I was all for that. I watched as Annie bit her lip and looked up at the sky, as if looking for guidance. After several minutes, she sighed and then lowered her head to look at me.

"I've already told you about the safe under the sofa and that feeding Mr. Jingles chicken is the best way to distract him. If someone were to go to our apartment and get the spare key from above the door, they could get the information from the safe that Clarence is hiding there. Of course, they'd have to take photos, because if my brother thought someone had gotten to the information inside the safe, he'd make sure the others knew they would need a new plan."

I nodded. "I understand." I studied Annie for a moment. "Why are you helping us?"

She turned to me, and the look on her face told me how painful this was for her. "I want more than anything to become a nun. It's what I've wanted ever since I was a little girl. But how can I take my vows to God, knowing my brother is involved with a man who destroys every woman he comes into contact with? This man that my brother has been helping to come into this country, he actually enjoys hurting those that are weaker than him. The pain he inflicts on women…" She stopped, shuddering.

I could see pain in her eyes as she thought about Daje… I knew that's who she was referring to. I gave her a few moments and then reached out and placed my hand on her arm. "Has he done something to hurt you?"

She shook her head, but a sob escaped her, and I put my arms around her, giving her my support. Her words were barely more than a whisper as I heard her say, "Clarence asked our neighbor Gianna to take him a meal. I heard her screams, but there was nothing I could do."

I swallowed hard as I realized what she was telling me. I comforted her the best I could and promised her, "He'll pay for his sins. Don't worry, I'll make sure everything looks the same so Clarence won't know. But you need to get out of there and go somewhere safe."

She nodded. "I'll go to the church when we get back to Trenton. I'm ready to take my vows. As for Clarence… He's made his mistakes; he needs to pay for them."

Hector moved in to join us and handed Annie a fancy lace hankie. She blushed and accepted his offering. Dabbing her eyes, she looked back toward the house. "I think I need a longer walk so the puffiness goes away. I don't want my brother to know what we've talked about."

I patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. You can rest in one of the rooms in the house, and if he comes looking, I'll tell him I showed you to a room to rest because you have a headache."

Her eyes widened. "Oh! That will be good. I've had some really bad headaches, and he knows they really affect me."

I turned to Hector. "Can you show us to a spare room?"

Without saying anything, he nodded and led us toward the house. We entered through the kitchen, and the room he showed us to was unreal. It was like a dream come to life. The walls looked like the scene from a fairytale castle. Annie grinned in delight. I made sure she was settled, and then we left her to rest.

Hector arranged for someone to keep an eye on her.

I frowned when he replaced his phone in his pocket.

He smiled at me. "Don't worry. It's just a precaution. They'll also keep her brother out if he finds her before she's ready."

I nodded, accepting his explanation.

After leaving Annie, I went to the room I was sharing with Ranger. I pulled out my phone and punched in a number. Just as the call was picked up, Ranger walked into the room. He looked like he was going to say something, but I held up a finger.

He stood there waiting, his eyes narrowed, but no real emotion visible.

I concentrated on what I needed to tell the person on the other end. "Joe, I need you to get me some information. You're going to have to get Lula to help you."

I made a face as he replied, "Now why would I want to do that, Cupcake?"

I rolled my eyes. "Because she's going to have to distract the alligator while you get pictures of the information inside the safe."

There was a pregnant pause. "If you get me arrested, you're going to have to explain it to Robyn."

I smiled. "She'll be on my side."

There was a masculine chuckle. "Don't I know it. Okay, whose place are we breaking into?"

I rattled off the address and gave Joe all the information I knew about the location of the safe. He was ready to hang up when I quickly told him, "Wait! I need to tell you the most important thing to remember."

"And that would be?"

"You can't leave any evidence that you were in the apartment. You'll also need to take a couple buckets of chicken with you to use so you can distract the alligator."

There was another pregnant pause. "You were serious about that?"

"Yes! You'll need Lula to distract Mr. Jingles with the chicken while you get pictures of the information we need. You'll also need to make sure no one sees or hears you in the apartment. There might be an unfriendly close by that would make Benito Ramirez look like a Boy Scout."

"Understood. I'll let you know when we have what you need."

I smiled, even though he couldn't see me. "Thanks, Joe."

"Anytime, Cupcake. I got your back."

I ended the call and turned to Ranger. There was an odd look on his face, but I didn't think much of it. Instead, I held my phone up and told him, "Joe and Lula will get the info we need. Annie gave me a way to get what we need without relying on Chopper."

Ranger moved forward and sat down beside me, leaving a small space between us. "That might be our best option. He's stringing us along. My gut is telling me he knows more about us than he should."

I nodded. "I think Daje is staying in his apartment building. Or at least he's close by. Annie heard him with a woman."

Ranger ran his hands through his hair. "Damn, I wish this was over and we had the SOB in a cell where he belongs."

I leaned my head against him. His arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me in closer to him. I moved my head so I was looking up at him, yet still lying against his chest. "We need to help Annie achieve her goal. She wants to be a nun."

From the look on his face, I knew he was fighting his natural instinct to say something wicked, but he was making a real effort not to just say something cynical. "If that's what she really wants, I'm sure she'll find a way to make that happen."

His head lowered and his lips covered mine. I was startled at first, but then my lips parted and allowed him entrance. Just as things were getting a bit heated, Ranger's phone sounded, and a second later, he stood abruptly, pulling the device from his pocket.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

**Lula's POV**

I looked over at Joe Morelli as he pulled up in front of the building we'd been asked to visit, unable to resist asking once more. "And you think this is a good idea…why?"

Joe shook his head. Without turning to face me, he told me the same thing he'd said the other hundred times I'd asked. "Stephanie asked us to do this for her."

Well crap! He'd just done stole all my arguments right out from under me. I could argue with any logic he threw my way, but the one thing I couldn't argue against was Stephanie asking us. I did one of them eye roll thing-a-ma-jigs Steph was so good at and reached over to open my door.

Figuring I'd have better luck with the next question I was fixing to ask, I grabbed the two buckets of extra crispy chicken and gave Joe another look. "Are you sure two buckets will give you enough time?"

Morelli grimaced, so I knew his heart wasn't as in this as he let on, but like me, he wasn't willing to say no to our girl. He gave a sharp nod of his head. "I'll get the job done before you run out of chicken. Just remember to pace yourself to make it last."

I wasn't happy that this fool's errand had fallen to me. With one bucket of chicken in each arm, I followed Morelli up the stairs to the third floor apartment where we knew Chopper lived. I knew it was important to stay light on my feet so as not to draw attention to ourselves. This was important to Steph, and I wasn't planning on letting my girl down.

It didn't take us long to reach the door we needed. I watched as Joe ran his hand over the top of the door frame, stopping in the middle and retrieving a key, which he inserted into the lock. I was hoping that when he twisted, the door would remain locked, but no such luck. The door swung open, and we quickly and quietly stepped into the apartment.

For the condition of the apartment building, the apartment itself was a surprise. It was obvious that someone went to a lot of trouble to keep the place looking nice. For a minute, I was even able to forget why we was here.

All of that changed, though, when I heard the swish of a tail—at least, that's what I assumed had made the sound. I was shaking a bit as I looked around, knowing what was in here somewhere, just waiting to lunge at us.

The sound of a muffled, "Holy_ shit_!" behind me had me turning around, and even knowing what I was likely to find, I nearly screamed the house down. Man, that thing was butt ugly!

It was somewhere between six and seven feet long and looked menacing as its beady eyes studied us. I was nearly frozen to the spot and didn't hear Morelli yelling at me in a loud whisper to start throwing the chicken.

As if I suddenly became aware of what was in my arms, I placed one bucket inside the other, holding them both with one arm while I reached in and grabbed a piece of extra crispy and threw it at the creature now stalking Morelli. The leg clunked the critter on the head and bounced off. Mr. Jingles—as we'd been told was the name of the thing—continued creeping toward Morelli, totally disregarding the deep fried free meal I was supplying him.

I softly hissed to Joe, "You sure this thing likes fried chicken? What if he only likes baked chicken or if he prefers his chicken not cooked at all?"

Joe's eyes were wide as he glanced at me before turning back to the animal getting ever closer to where he was standing. "Stephanie said he loves fried chicken."

I mumbled, "Well, you best hope he gets some smarts soon and realizes that's what I'm tossing his way. Seems to me we got a mentally handicapped alligator here and he doesn't recognize this as fried chicken."

Mr. Jingles lunged at Morelli, and he jumped onto the sofa, which really got the thing going, lunging and snapping his powerful jaws at the cop.

Morelli looked my way and demanded, "Don't just stand there. Start throwing the food and drawing him away!"

I sighed and picked another piece of chicken. Maybe he just wasn't a leg gator. Maybe he preferred a different part of the bird. I got hold of a breast and called out, "Here…gator, gator, gator. Here…gator, gator, gator."

"Damn it, Lula. Quit horsing around and throw the damn thing!"

I straightened and glared at Joe. "Listen here. I'm trying to help you out here. You need to show some respect and not be hollering like that. You're gonna get me all worked up and throw my aim off."

About that time, it got eerily quiet in the apartment, and I looked down to realize that Mr. Jingles had suddenly become aware that there was more than one of us in the apartment. Instead of stalking the cop, he was inching closer to yours truly, and my heart felt like it was gonna jump outta my chest, it was beating so hard.

I tossed a piece of chicken, and Mr. Jingles lunged and caught it mid-air. Without taking my eyes off Mr. Walking Death, I told Morelli, "You best hurry up and get that information we need before I run outta chicken."

I didn't bother to see if he was following suit. I had a suspicion that if I took my eyes of Mr. Jingles, I wouldn't live to get some nookie tonight with my Tankie. I kept tossing the chicken, forgetting all about the timing thing Joe had drilled into me on the way over. Way I looked at it, I was waiting till the last second before tossing a new piece out as it was.

When I reached in and there was no more chicken, I had a moment of panic until I realized I had to move the first bucket so I could get to the chicken in the second bucket. I tossed a piece without a second to spare and managed to move out of the path of the gator of death.

Without moving my gaze away from what was in front of me, I sent Morelli a warning. "I'm down to the last bucket. You need to step it up, super cop."

I heard a grunt and took that as a promise that he would be done within the next few seconds. Unfortunately, that's not what his grunt meant, because a few seconds later; he wasn't telling me we could get out of there.

I was down to the last third of a bucket when I noticed something odd. I tossed a piece of chicken, and Mr. Jingles looked in the direction I was throwing, watched the chicken fall to the ground, and then swung around back to me before taking a step closer to where I was. Needing to make sure I was seeing right, I tried again. Same thing.

"Morelli."

No response.

I raised my voice a bit louder; but still whispering. "Morelli."

Still no response.

This time, I said his name in a near normal voice, just barely keeping it down so the neighbors on either side of the apartment wouldn't hear. "Morelli! Wake your ass up and get over here!"

This time, I got a response. "Geez, woman. What?"

"Mr. Jingles caught onto the game, and he ain't playing no more."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I throw the chicken, and he looks to see where it drops, then turns back to me and creeps closer."

There was a clinking sound, and then Joe sighed, "Finally!"

I heard the sound of a camera snapping pictures in quick succession and then papers shuffling and another clink. I'd taken my attention off Mr. Jingles for a fraction of a second too long, and he was too close when he lunged at me. I gave a muffled scream and tossed the bucket of chicken before falling backwards over an ottoman in the middle of the floor.

Just before I could close my eyes, expecting to be gator bait, the door opened, and I saw a baseball bat hit the gator out into the hall. The next second, Morelli had hold of my arm and was hauling me up off the floor as we hurried out of the apartment and down the stairs as quietly as we could. We reached the bottom in time to see Mr. Jingles make his way through the open front door and scurry off into the night. A woman's scream coming from a few blocks over let us know that Mr. Jingles' escape had not gone unnoticed. Without a word, we made our way to Morelli's vehicle.

I closed my eyes, leaning back in the seat of the Jeep Cherokee as I waited for Morelli to get in and get us the hell out of Dodge. No two ways about it, this operation had been a dismal failure, and now, if we didn't think fast, Chopper was not only going to know someone had been in his apartment, but he was also going to suspect that that someone was tied to finding out where the king was.

Joe wasted no time in placing a call. I had no idea who he called, but it musta been answered, because he was suddenly talking to someone on the other end. "Yeah. I need something hot that can't be traced." He paused, as if listening to someone else talking, before he added, "I'll chance it. Be by in five." With that, he hung up.

I looked over at him, wondering if he was gonna tell me or if he was gonna make me ask. Just when I'd about given up, I recognized the area of Trenton we were in. He pulled into the RangeMan garage and come to a stop near the elevator. I was surprised to see Tank waiting there with another man I had yet to meet. Morelli didn't bother to get out. He just rolled his window down as my Tankie and the other man come to join us.

Tank scowled at Joe and said, "Morelli." He turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing here, Mama Bear?"

I batted my eyes at my man and said, "We had a job to do for S—" Morelli jabbed me so the others couldn't see, and I realized what I'd been about to say. I quickly changed directions and said, "—J, and things didn't go so good."

Tank looked back to Morelli. I wasn't sure if he wanted more explanation or what, but Joe obliged him by saying, "Long story short, we need to cover our tracks and make sure no one finds out we were in Chopper's apartment."

My eyes widened and I mumbled, "Oh shit!" Mount Vesuvius was gonna erupt in the form of one pissed off Tank.

Before Morelli knew what hit him, Tank reached in and grabbed Officer Hottie by the scruff of his shirt and pulled him up close and personal to his displeased face. "You took my Mama Bear into that death trap?"

Joe put his hands up in surrender and said, "It would have worked if the damn gator hadn't learned the game so quick."

Tankie shuddered. I decided to save Joe just this once. After all, he did knock that old gator through the door in order to protect me. I told Tank about what he had done for me, but instead of making him calm down, it only seemed to agitate him even more.

I looked at my man and said, "Tankie, you need to chill your ass and help us out here. Once we get this all set, you can explain things however you like."

Joe looked at me with a glower. "Gee, thanks for hanging me out to dry."

I glared back at him and said, "I aint hangin' you out to dry. I'm trying to help. You keep this up, and I'll let him clean your clock right now."

The sound of a throat clearing had us all turning to the man standing beside Tank. "Not that I'm not enjoying this, but am I right in thinking we have a limited time here?"

Joe nodded. "Yeah. We need to get everything set within the next few minutes so that we still have the cover of dark. Besides, animal control might be heading to Chopper's apartment any minute to find out why Mr. Jingles is loose. We need the fire to be well under way before that happens."

Tank sighed. "Manny, give him what you brought."

Manny stepped forward and handed a small object to Morelli. As he did, he told him, "All you need to do is squeeze it and drop it to the floor. You'll have three minutes to get out before it goes."

Joe took the item in his gloved hands. "The only question is how do I make sure no one is in the building when it goes up."

I looked over at Joe to see what he thought of our chances of pulling this off. I watched as he lifted the incendiary device and looked at it from all angles. The best thing about this is that no accelerant would be needed, and once this thing went up, there would be no tie back anywhere.

I had a sudden thought about how we could make sure that no one else was hurt in the blast. I turned to the others and asked, "What about if there was a gas leak? The fire marshal might think that was the cause of the explosion."

We all looked at each other, knowing that was our best plan in order to make sure no innocents were hurt. When Morelli went to back up, Tank put a restraining hand on his arm and shook his head. "Manny will go with you and help." He turned to me and said, "You're gonna stay here with me, Mama Bear."

I looked over at Joe, and at his nod I slipped out of the Cherokee and Manny took my spot. Before he closed the door, I told Morelli, "I want a full report. And make sure you watch out for that gator of death."

Manny's eyes twinkled. "Now that's a sight I'd like to see."

Joe's reply was low, but I was just close enough to hear him say, "Like hell. I've had enough of that beast to last me a lifetime. As far as I'm concerned, they can stuff and mount him."

Tank wrapped his arm around me as Joe put the Cherokee in reverse and the two left the garage. When they were no longer visible, Tank looked down at me and said, "How about we go up to my place and play a little game, Mama Bear?"

I batted my eyes at him and replied, "You musta been reading my mind."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

**Kye's POV**

I stood silently, watching the play between Stephanie and Ranger. Although I didn't trust him with her as far as I could throw him, it was obvious something had shifted between the two of them. I'd bide my time and give him the benefit of the doubt, but if he hurt her…hell wouldn't be far enough to get away from my wrath. I had to admit, though, even when I thought Ranger was the worst bastard imaginable, it was apparent that he had the gravitas needed to be the leader of this operation. The way he was playing Chopper was like a maestro conducting a symphony.

When I had observed the meeting between the two men, I'd gotten a good idea of just how lethal Ranger could be. I could be reading something into nothing, but it'd appeared to me as if Clarence was afraid his sister might reveal something she shouldn't. He was hedging his bets, and Ranger was going in for the kill. There was no doubt in my mind as to who was going to come out the winner.

When Hector joined us, Ranger had cut the meeting off. The look on Chopper's face had told me the man wasn't expecting to be dismissed quite so easily. He'd started blustering, but one look from Ranger had shut the man up fast. Without another word, Ranger had left the room, and I'd had the impression it was up to Hector and me to keep Chopper from following him.

When Ranger came back with Stephanie a short time ago, I'd been surprised to see that she really seemed to have made some kind of peace with the man. When Annie had joined us several minutes later, Chopper had given his sister a long hard look, and I'd wondered what he seemed to be afraid of. The distraction of the girl's arrival had been enough to divert Chopper's attention from the earlier tension, and things seemed to be going smoother.

The sound of a low growl permeating the room had everyone stilling for a moment. My gaze went to Stephanie, and sure enough, she blushed. I felt the corners of my mouth tip in a smile, but otherwise, I showed no indication that I'd even heard a sound.

I was surprised to see Ranger reach out for her hand and pull her to him. As I watched the interplay between them, I wondered if she was working her magic on his icy heart. He pulled her down gently till she was close enough for him to stretch up and give her a light kiss on the cheek. Although I couldn't hear what he was saying, I could see his lips move. Her eyes lit up at whatever he suggested, and I relaxed slightly, moving my gaze to scan the room.

The look on Chopper's face had me narrowing my eyes and thinking about ways I could make the man disappear without a trace. He was looking at Stephanie with a lusty hunger that put me on edge.

I forced myself to look away, to give the appearance that all was well. My gaze landed on Hector, and by the way he was watching me, I suspected he was thinking something similar to what I was. Our gazes locked for several seconds, then he gave a slight nod of his head. Before either of us could say anything, we were called for dinner.

We were nearing the end of the meal when the sound of a cell phone ringing broke into the conversation going on around the table. Chopper made no excuses as he took his phone out at the same time he stood and walked away from the table. From his side of the conversation, something was definitely up.

He returned to the table, looking hard at Annie once again as he said, "There's been a fire in my apartment building."

Annie's eyes widened. "Was anyone hurt?"

Chopper shook his head. "No, apparently one of the neighbors called in and reported a gas smell in the building. The police came out and evacuated the building. They'd gotten the last resident out before the building blew." Chopper glared at Annie. "Of course, Mr. Jingles is missing, so I don't know yet if he was hurt or not."

Annie shuddered. "As much as I hate that animal, I don't want anything bad to happen to him. What makes you think he wasn't in the building when it went up?"

Chopper shrugged. "Nothing definite, but there are reports of a loose alligator in the area. I'm hoping it was Mr. Jingles. Although they'll never admit it, I think one of the cops let him out when they were going door to door, and they're covering their own asses by not letting on that they were the one that did it."

Ranger studied Chopper before suggesting they put off the meeting so that Chopper could return home and see about his pet.

Chopper shook his head. "I need to finish this up. The man I'm working for is determined to find his brother. If we can't make this deal for you to help me locate him, then it won't do me any good to find Mr. Jingles. We'll both be shark bait."

I could see Ranger's gaze narrow, and I suspected that Hector was aware of it as well. It was such a slight difference that I'd be surprised if Chopper or his sister picked up on it. Ranger reached out and took Steph's hand in his, bringing it to his lips before he spoke again. "I think we need to move this party back to Trenton. We'll find the man you're looking for. But I'm afraid I'll need to insist that we meet with your man first. I like to know who I'm working with."

Chopper frowned. "I'll need to get his okay." He looked over at Steph. "Perhaps you would be willing to make a show of good faith and offer him a gift."

I had a feeling I knew where he was going with this.

Ranger moved with lightning speed and had Chopper by the throat. Slamming him against the wall, he growled, "You keep your eyes off my _wife,_ or you won't have to worry about your pet or the man you're working for."

Chopper tried to gulp in air, but Ranger was preventing him from doing that.

I could see by the expression on Annie's face that she was frightened by the scene. Steph reached over and took hold of her hand, gently squeezing. Annie seemed to relax, nodding her head.

Chopper squeaked out, "All…right…man!"

Ranger released him, and he fell to the ground.

Chopper scrambled to his feet and hurried from the room, grabbing Annie's arm and hauling her with him.

The rest of us gathered round. Ranger kept his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke.

As I listened to Ranger give orders to the men, I knew we'd soon be done with this leg of the plan. He was frugal in his choice of words, while at the same time, leaving us in no doubt exactly what he expected of us.

**Stephanie's POV**

Once Ranger had given each of us our assignments, I followed Lester to the den, where we had the computers set up for the searches. I wanted to check in and see if the sick bastards had sent me anything more. I could see by the expression on Lester's face that he didn't want me anywhere near the computer, which only worried me more. My mind was racing with possibilities. If it was bad enough he didn't want me to see, what were they doing to Tina?

As soon as I signed onto the laptop, I had my answer.

Lester placed a hand on my shoulder, and I glanced at him momentarily before turning back to the laptop.

My hands were clenched as I felt compelled to keep my eyes on the scene that was unfolding. I couldn't fathom why Tina was lying there so docile as the men poked and prodded her with the cattle prods. The jolts going through her body had to be affecting her, so for her to be lying there inert worried me.

My mind raced with the possibilities, and I bit my lip till I tasted the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. The sound of the door clicking shut behind me had me spinning around.

Ranger stood there, his gaze flicked to the screen and his eyes narrowing. "Have you gotten anything on where they might be holding her?"

Something at the edge of my memory was telling me I knew where this place was. I was frustrated because I couldn't remember. I shook my head.

He stepped forward and wrapped his arm around my waist. "Don't worry, Babe. We'll find her." He turned to Lester. "What did Shep say when you called him?"

"He's on his way here. I called RangeMan and asked Chester to pick him up from the airport."

I was leaning against Ranger, not paying attention to what they were saying. I felt like I'd just missed something, but I didn't know what. I was just grateful for the support of Ranger's arm around my waist as I continued to watch those bastards torture my friend. I was determined to find them and make them pay. I'd found their lair once, and I knew I'd be able to do it again. It was then that I became aware of the blinking curser telling me I had messages. Leaning forward, I clicked to open my messages, and from the filth written there, I knew why Tina wasn't making any sounds or reacting to the cattle prod. My chin trembled and I felt the tears burn the backs of my eyes as I realized they'd tortured her to the point that she was unconscious. Her body wasn't moving because they'd given her a drug that would paralyze her. They intended to continue until she was fully awake once more so that her first sensation was incredible pain.

I turned my face into Ranger's chest as the first sobs were wrenched from me. He wrapped me more fully in his arms, and I heard a low animal growl of rage rip loose from Lester's throat.

In some recess of my mind, I was aware of Ranger telling Lester to use whatever resources he needed. At some point, I was lifted, and then I felt myself being carried from the room. I was unaware of anything else until we reached the master bedroom, and then Ranger set me gently on the bed before following me down. He continued to hold me close to him as he maneuvered the covers so we were covered. How long I lay there crying, I couldn't say. All I knew was I felt safe in his arms and wanted the feeling to last.

I must have fallen asleep, because as the last vestiges of sleep left me, my first awareness was feeling incredibly safe and warm. As I became more alert, I realized that the man beside me in bed was Ranger. I was still amazed at the vast difference in our situation from when I had first met him in London to now. I slowly opened my eyes only to see that I was looking directly into his face, which appeared to be studying me.

Ranger's eyes were heated as he let them run over me. I could feel his desire and knew deep within myself that it was reciprocated, no matter how I might have once wanted to deny it. Even now, I wasn't sure if I totally trusted this feeling. I knew I could trust his feeling of desire for me. What I wasn't sure of was whether or not I could trust that he was as emotionally involved as I was, or if this was just part of the act that we were supposed to be putting on.

His head lowered to mine, and in the next instant, his lips had covered mine and he had taken control of the moment. His hands caressed me, and I reached out to touch him hesitantly, not sure whether it was a good idea or not, but knowing it was what I most wanted to do.

The strident shrill of an alarm going off had us both stiffening, and then Ranger was off the bed like a shot. He took a gun out of the nightstand and handed it to me. "Stay here. I think you know how to use that if it's necessary."

I swallowed hard before giving him a nod. I was proficient with every firearm I'd ever handled, but that didn't change the fact that I hated using them. Ever since that moment I'd taken the gun away from Anthony and shot my own mother, I'd had an intense hatred of using a gun. Whether it was the messed-up psyche of shooting…_mother_, or the fact that I'd acted in anger, I didn't know. I'd rationalized that I was doing it to protect Joe, and everyone had told me I'd done what I'd needed to do. I still felt guilty. I knew that was because when I was alone with just my own thoughts, I'd had to admit that although a part of me was protecting Joe, I knew a bigger part of me was lashing out for all she'd done to me.

Ranger seemed to hesitate for a moment.

I gave him a weak smile. "I'm okay. I do carry one of these, after all."

He frowned, as if he wanted to say more, but something more pressing was demanding his attention. He gave a slight nod and then moved to the chair holding his clothes and slipped on the pants and utility belt. He moved like a jungle cat, and for the first time, I was aware of just how dangerous this man could be.

I shook myself out of my musings and frowned as I realized I should be going with him instead of standing here like a ninny. I quickly moved up beside him when he went to leave the room.

He turned to me, his eyes intense as they locked on my gaze. "Stay here."

"I'm a trained agent."

His eyes narrowed, but there wasn't time to argue. A crash sounded from somewhere in the house, and as he moved out the door, he growled, "Stay close and be aware of your surroundings."

I rolled my eyes, but didn't say any more as I followed him to see who had come to join our little party.

The scene that met us when we finally made our way to the sitting room was like the act out of a bad horror movie. From the smile on Chopper's face, I knew he was behind this. In the room were three men in ski masks, holding automatic weapons. The white hot fury emanating from Ranger told me that Chopper had just made a fatal error in judgment.

From our vantage point, we were able to see the men, but they weren't able to see us. We'd come in a direction that I hadn't recalled from my previous trips from the master suite. That left me with the feeling that there was more to this house than it appeared.

I was feeling a bit ambivalent at the moment. As much as I disliked Chopper for the way he'd treated Val all those years ago, I wasn't sure that I'd wish a pissed-of Ranger on him.

Just then, Hector and Kye walked into the sitting room, weapons drawn and pointed at the four men visible. I got a hinky feeling in my gut, but before I could say or do anything to warn the two, another man joined them.

This man wore no mask. He had some type of device pointed at Hector and said, "Drop your weapons, or the little man dies."

Hector's eyes narrowed, but other than that, there was no sign that he'd even heard what had been said.

Kye raised an eyebrow, asking, "What makes you think I would care?"

The man smiled. His grotesque teeth looked like he hadn't brushed them ever in his life. They were broken and discolored with cavities. His greasy black hair was shoulder length and left flowing free. This man was an inch or two taller than Kye, and his huge body was covered with skull and crossbones tattoos. That's not to say the man was fat, although it was obvious he wasn't as firmly muscled as Ranger and his men.

This time, it was Chopper who spoke up. "Your boss was forthcoming enough to inform me that you would act as his bodyguard so you and your…_lover_…could work together." His smile widened. "Of course, he wasn't aware he was giving me that information."

I saw Kye lower one eyelid and knew he was aware of my presence. Whether he knew Ranger was with me or not, I didn't know. He moved slightly, shifting his weight, and I knew he was readying to act.

I turned to Ranger and, keeping my voice below whisper level, told him, "Get ready. A will be starting the action in just a few seconds."

Ranger seemed to study me, as if he was wondering how I could tell. Without commenting, he gave a slight nod of his head, and we moved into position.

My gaze went back to Kye, watching his every move for the sign I knew was coming. He let one corner of his mouth lift in a half smile. "And what makes you so sure that Hector is my lover? Maybe I'm snogging with Mrs. Manoso."

His words had the desired effect. The men were momentarily motionless, and I started moving forward, hoping Ranger was aware this was our cue to act. Hector and Kye each took out one of the three men in ski masks.

Lester had showed up at the same time that Ranger and I made our way into the room, and he took out the other masked man as Ranger went for the big guy.

I smiled as I moved in on Chopper.

The look on Chopper's face as I closed in was like he thought he was being given a present. He licked his lips and reached out toward me. I moved in before he had time to blink and rammed my knee into his groin. He went down like a felled tree. I followed him down, using my knee to put added pressure to his groin as I leaned down next to him. I smiled coldly. "Remember that girl you took to Lover's Lane, pretending you ran out of gas? The one whose dress you tore trying to get it off her? Well, this is for her." With that, I shifted so I had enough leverage that I could swing my right knee up into his groin again.

There was a look of horror on Chopper's face right before his head flopped to the side, and I knew that he'd passed out from the pain.

I looked around, seeing the other four men that had broken in were also down on the ground. One of them was still awake enough to talk, but I was guessing he wasn't willing to give us the information we wanted. Hector had his knife out and was running his fingers over the razor sharp blade.

Lester smiled at the man, but it wasn't the same smile he wore when he had talked of Tina and a future he hoped they'd have. This was a smile that would give a person nightmares. "If you're smart, you'll talk."

The man's eyes were filled with fear as they darted around, almost as if he were looking for someone who would save him. His gaze landed on me, and his look changed. That's when I knew.

I moved over beside Hector and held my hand out. "I need to borrow your knife."

I could feel Hector's gaze on me, as if he were studying me. He handed over the knife, and I knelt down beside the man. He moved, as if he were going to try and disarm me. He didn't get far, because Hector was beside him in the next second with another knife in his hand, holding it at the throat of the man on the ground. His voice was deadly soft as he said, "Move and you die."

I took the knife in my hand and used it to shave away the hair behind the man's ear. When I'd finished, I sat back, knowing I'd been right. My eyes hardened as I demanded, "Where are the rest of the men working with you?"

Ranger placed his hand on my shoulder, asking, "What is it, Babe?"

I motioned to the symbol etched into the man's skull behind his ear. I knew that they'd understand once the saw the same symbol there that had been on the back of the map Ranger and his group had been given by someone from Shep's team. Although this was a slavish attempt of recreation, there was enough to know that this man was indeed a member of the group we were looking for.

Judging by the low growl emanating from the four men in the room with me, they'd all noticed it at the same exact moment.

Lester squatted down beside me, one knee resting in the ground and the other knee bent in the air. "Are you thinking this guy might have information on where Tina might be, Beautiful?"

There was just enough reaction for me to know we did indeed have a way of finding Tina. I nodded. Lester grinned at the man on the floor, and the smell of urine suddenly permeated the air.

Lester, along with Junior and a man I didn't know, both of whom had joined the fight shortly after it got started, took him and the other unconscious men, except Chopper, and left the room. Hector and Kye stayed with Ranger and me in the sitting room, where Chopper was unconscious on the floor. Once the stage was set, Ranger gave a nod, and Hector emptied a pitcher of water over Chopper to bring him around.

He came up sputtering, and when his eyes locked on Ranger and the guys, they widened. You could see him swallow the lump in his throat, and I could just imagine what he was thinking. His gaze went from Ranger, to Hector, then Kye, and finally landed on me. His eyes turned cold, and he smiled smugly, as if he knew a secret we weren't in on.

My eyes narrowed.

Ranger moved between Chopper and me, turning so he was looking into my face as he leaned down to whisper, "I need you to go back to the master suite, Babe. We're going to give Chopper a show that will have him thinking I would do anything in my power to protect you. Then you leave so that I can make him aware of just what those lengths are."

I didn't even have time to acknowledge agreement to his plan before his mouth swooped down on mine. I felt like I was going to spontaneous combust from the heat emanating from the kiss.

When Ranger finally released me, he ran his hand down the side of my face and said, "You'll be safe, Babe. I will do anything I need to in order to protect you."

I placed my hand on his cheek as my breath caught in my throat. I laid my head against his chest, tilting it so I could still see him. "Don't get shot."

I felt the vibration of his chest as he started laughing silently before he leaned down and kissed my temple. "I'll do my best. Don't go crazy."

I smiled. "Back at you."

He kissed me once more before turning me and giving me a nudge.

I looked back for a few seconds before I turned to make my way from the room. As much as I wanted to stay, I knew there would be more of an effect without me there.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**Lester's POV**

We took our prisoner to the holding room that Ranger had put into the second guest house. Every so often, the government would ask us to watch an unfriendly, and this was the place where we would do that. This building was on the other side of the property, so there was never any contact between those that stayed here and the main house. Of course, Ranger figured it wouldn't matter if whoever we were holding here got loose and did manage to find their way to his home. It would give him the excuse to get rid of the unfriendly, permanently.

Our prisoner was screaming like a little girl as soon as he saw the building. I guess he must have been warned that when you cross Ranger, there was a price to pay. Now the only thing we had to find out was if this character was more afraid of the man he was working for or Ranger. If he was smart, he'd choose Ranger. I'd seen what he was capable of, and there wasn't anyone who was even close to as scary. Even Thor had commented that as good at this shit as he is, no one can come close to what Ranger's capable of when he's got a reason. He'd followed that up with a comment about when Ranger did someday fall hard for a woman, he pitied the man that was a threat to her.

It took both Junior and Bones to get him inside. I followed close behind, slamming the door as soon as I'd entered. The men looked to me for direction, and I let them know what the game plan was simply by telling them, "String him up."

Junior went over to the cabinet we kept for just such purposes. Opening it, he pulled out a hangman's noose, as well as enough rope to tie the bastard's hands behind his back. On his way back, he grabbed the chair we'd put beneath the guy…at first, until it was time to let him dangle. Not enough to kill him, yet.

I watched as the guys set the scene. Although our new friend was making it as hard as possible, Junior and Bones managed to get him in place. I knew now why Thor had made the comment about anyone coming after a woman that Ranger loved. He understood what I was just beginning to. If Ranger ever let his guard down to love a woman, anyone trying to hurt her would be dead. Ranger would do anything he needed to in order to protect what was his.

I got it now because that's exactly how I felt about Tina. This yahoo was going to learn fast that I meant business. When we got done with him, if he survived the experience, he'd never come at me or mine again.

I turned to where he was standing on the chair, his hands tied behind his back with rope and the hangman's noose around his neck. He was glaring at me and the guys, but I wasn't worried. "Where are the rest of your friends?"

He spit at us, but we were too far away for it to come close.

There was a pulley system hooked up to the chair so that all I'd have to do was press a lever, and the chair would tip to where there was no support under him. Once I released the lever, the chair would move back into place under him, once again supporting his weight.

I inched my hand toward the lever, knowing that the anticipation would feed his fear. His eyes widened as I closed in to my destination. I wasn't expecting him to break down and speak this first time. But once he got a feel for what he was going to feel as the noose tightened and cut off his airflow, and the increasing time that he'd be feeling it, I would have him talking soon enough.

I smiled as I pressed the lever and watched him struggle. I had it timed perfectly. The look of stark terror in the man's eyes when he was once again safely standing on the chair told me we would have our answers soon.

**Ranger's POV**

I stood looking down at what was left of Chopper. I now had everything I needed to bring Daje out into the open. Not only had Chopper made the necessary call, but we had the time and location and I'd already gotten a message to Tank to get the team in place. I'd also told him not to trust anyone but our own RangeMan guys, Morelli, and Juniak. Someone had let slip that Agent J was acting the part of my wife, and until I knew who that was, I wasn't trusting just anyone.

I lifted my gaze to Hector and Agent A. Hector knew how I worked. We were cut from the same cloth in many ways. I was mildly surprised that Agent A hadn't gotten squeamish on us. We'd worked with the FBI on other cases, and when it came to this aspect, every one of them had been sent out of the room early on into the…talk that we'd conduct with the person in custody. A hadn't batted an eye at the things Hector and I had done.

At one point, Chopper had even let it be known that he knew both Agents A and J were with the FBI. He'd used his knowledge to plead with A, telling him he was a lawman and should uphold the law. A's face had hardened as he walked over to kneel down beside Chopper. His voice was barely audible as he said, "She's my friend. This wouldn't be the first time that I've killed for her."

When he'd stood up to back away, Chopper had folded, telling us everything he knew. Whether he thought it would save him or not was a moot point now. He wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore.

I looked at the other two and said, "Make sure there are no traces."

Hector nodded. "I'll take care of it. I'll meet the three of you at the location as soon as I'm done."

A's gaze narrowed. "Just like that? You decide that you're the one to take care of the cleanup detail?"

Hector glared at the other man. "I know this area. You don't. Besides, you need to go along to keep your partner safe."

I shook my head. "They're both staying here. Only RangeMan personnel will be at the location."

This time it was A that shook his head. "Oh no. She won't stay on the sidelines. And I won't lie to her, so she'll know where the meeting is going to take place. If she doesn't go with you, she'll find a way to get there. Plus, I think she deserves to be included."

I narrowed my eyes on him. I knew he was right. She did deserve to be there, but my focus would be on Daje, and I couldn't afford to have my attention divided. I could feel the muscle jumping in my jaw as I clenched it. A didn't back down, though. His gaze was steady on mine.

It was Hector that brought us back to what was important. "At this rate, Tank and the guys will have him locked up beside his brother before you two stop arguing and get there."

My eyes narrowed. "I'm not waiting. If you aren't in the SUV when I'm ready to go, I'm leaving without you."

A nodded. "We'll be there." Then, as if he'd had an afterthought, he asked, "What about Annie? And how will Hector get there? He rode with us."

There was no putting one over on Agent A. "Hector will drive the Cayenne and take Annie wherever she wants before he joins us. We'll be traveling in the F150 truck in the garage."

A's eyes narrowed. "And just when were you going to tell us that?"

I shrugged. "I hadn't planned to tell you at all...if you hadn't asked. Since you did, you now have three minutes to meet me in the garage."

He nodded and moved out of the room. I stayed only long enough to give Hector instructions on disposal and then made my way to the garage. Although I was hoping the two agents weren't in time, I knew they would be. On my way to the garage, I called Lester and let him know about the game plan. He informed me that Junior would be helping Hector with cleanup, and he and Bones were in route.

Exactly three minutes after I left Hector, I climbed into the truck. I'd just started the vehicle when Agents A and J walked into the garage. J climbed in, sitting next to me; A followed, taking his seat by the door. I put the truck into gear and pressed the gas so we took off like a rocket.

There was silence in the cab for several minutes before J spoke, asking, "So, what's the plan?"

Not taking my focus from the road in front of me, I answered, "The plan was for the two of you to stay at the house until all this was over."

The little minx had the nerve to laugh before replying, "Like that was really going to happen."

I turned my head in her direction, scowling at her. "Then you need to learn to take orders in a hurry. Daje will be waiting for Chopper to meet him at the pier. I have Tank meeting us there with our Navy guys, who will be in the water. The object is to take Daje alive, but I'm willing to send a corpse."

She turned to me, and I could feel her gaze studying me for several seconds. "I don't need to know what the disposal method is going to be, just the plan to catch the bastard."

I took my eyes off the road in front of me for a fraction of a second to meet her gaze. I still didn't like having her with me; if I had my way, I'd keep her away from the seedier elements of the world. Since that wasn't going to happen this go round, I decided to make sure she was as protected as I could. My gaze went back to the road once again as I slipped my right hand in my pocket. I found one of the tiny trackers that I carried with me, and pulling my hand back out, I made sure I had hold of the device between the first two fingers. I slipped my arm behind her head, allowing my hand to play with her hair until I could attach the device behind her ear. Once it was in place, I tapped it to activate it and then moved my hand back to the wheel.

She gave me a strange look, but I was satisfied that she hadn't picked up on my actions.

When we neared the pier where the meeting was scheduled with Daje, I pulled into an abandoned warehouse about a hundred yards away. I got out of the truck as both agents climbed out on the other side. When J went to follow me, I took hold of her arm and shook my head. "You'll stay here with your partner."

She looked at me for several seconds before planting her hands on her hips and glaring back at me. "How do you know that Daje will do what he told Chopper? If you ask me, I think he's setting this up so he can take out Chopper as well. You can bet the bastard king won't be on his own. You might need us."

I leaned down, taking her mouth in a quick, passionate kiss. "Stay here."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll stay put till you leave."

My eyes narrowed as my temper lit. I wasn't used to having anyone talking back to me. I gave a single nod as I decided on the course of action I was going to take. I took hold of her wrist with my hand, and the sound of metal clicking shut could be heard as I closed one half of a pair of handcuffs onto her wrist. I watched as she became aware of her situation. She wanted to insist on following me, fine. I was making damn sure King Daje wasn't taking off with my prize. I lifted her in a fireman's carry and strode back to the truck with her, fastening the other silver bracelet to the steering wheel of the truck. I had to give her credit for being a fighter. I was going to have some bruises tomorrow from where her fists were landing, as well as bruised shins from her kicking.

"You can't leave me here! What if one of Daje's men comes?"

I looked at her, my blank look firmly etched on my face. I opened the gun safe I had in place on all of my vehicles and pointed to the semi-automatic Glock resting there. "It's fully loaded."

She made a dive for it with her free hand, but I caught the wrist in my hold, bringing her attention back to my face once more. I leaned down and whispered, "I'm going to lock this and set the key right here," I told her, indicating a spot on the floor I knew she'd have to twist herself into a pretzel to reach. "That way, I'll have a chance to get in the clear so I don't have to worry about a bullet in the back."

She struggled to break free of my hold, her eyes glaring daggers at me. "You'll have more than a bullet in the back to worry about when I get free, you bastard!"

I ran a finger down her cheek before giving her a mocking smile. "Sticks and stones, Babe."

With that, I kept my word, fobbing the truck locked before walking away. My mouth tilted even more as I met Agent A's gaze. "It's a burglar proof lock, so you won't get to her. She's the one that has to open that door, or it won't get opened. Can't have someone finding her before I get done disposing of the trash."

A looked at me with something close to pity. "You poor, poor bastard when she gets loose."

I chuckled. "I can't stop you from following me, but she'd have another layer of protection if you were to stay here with her."

A nodded. "I'm not leaving her in here on her own, even if she is locked in that truck and no one can break into it."

I lifted a hand in the air and strode from the building.

**Stephanie's POV**

I was furious at that bastard for handcuffing me to the freaking steering wheel. When I got out of here… I had a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was the same feeling I'd gotten just before I'd learned that Tina had been taken. I stretched my neck as much as possible till I was able to look out the truck window. I frowned as I saw Kye standing there looking out the window near the door.

I got goose bumps on my arms, and my gut was screaming at me to warn my friend. Something wasn't right about this place. I looked around as best I could and suddenly froze. There was someone moving up near the top of the building near the side away from Kye. I wasn't able to get a look at them because he was dressed all in black, including a ski mask over his head.

I looked down at the floor where I'd seen Manoso toss the key and spotted it peeking out from underneath the front seat. I swore silently. It would be a difficult task, but if I twisted myself into enough of a pretzel, I just might be able to snag it.

My right wrist was handcuffed to the left side of the steering wheel, through the open area. In order to get the key, I had to lie on my back with my head down toward the floor and my ass and feet in the air so I could reach over near the floor by the passenger side door to snag the key. I had my hand stretched as far as possible, but I couldn't feel the key yet. Icy chills were racing down my spine. I couldn't stop to look at what was going on outside because I would lose precious time if I did.

Damn Manoso for this asinine stunt of his. I swear I was going to plant his ass on the ground for this. I couldn't help but remember the bodies of the women we'd found in London, and knowing that sick monster had Tina made it ten times worse. On top of that, there was someone sneaking around out there where one of my best friends was keeping a watch out.

I knew Kye could take care of himself in most situations, but this was anything but a normal circumstance. I thought about honking the horn, but that might distract him enough for the other man to get off the first shot. Of course, I was guessing it was a man that was creeping closer. The murders in London had seemed too grisly to be committed by a woman. And this creature was claiming credit for them.

I started to worry that it was too quiet out in the warehouse. I had no clue how much time had passed since Manoso had left us here, and it seemed way too long for my liking. I inched myself as far as it was possible for me to move and stretched my hand out once more, feeling around on the floor on the passenger side for the damn key. Ranger had indicated that it would open the safe under the front seat on the driver's side, but he didn't say anything about the handcuffs. I cursed myself for not bringing anything with which to spring the lock on the cuffs.

Just when I was about to give up because I wasn't having any luck, my fingers touched the tip of something metal. I had to strain even harder in order to get hold of the rotten thing, and when I went to get up, I hit my head on the underside of the dash. My left arm was on fire because of the recent injuries, and being in the position of having to have my head lowered like I did, my head was killing me. I must have gotten up too quickly—either that, or the concussion from the fall the other day was causing problems—because when I sat up, everything started spinning.

I tried to focus on what I'd been going to do, but my mind was a bit of a blank for a moment. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone moving toward Kye, and my eyes widened as I remembered what I'd been trying to do. I tried to unlock the handcuffs, but the key was too big for the slot. I gave a frustrated sigh, and set the key on the floor, and reached under the seat for the gun that was there.

If Manoso hadn't handcuffed me, I would've been able to draw my own weapon, which was just out of reach for my left arm in the condition it was in.

I managed to get the safe out with a minimum of fuss, and then I frantically searched for where I'd put the key so that I could unlock the stupid thing. For all my experience, you'd think I'd know better than to set the key down, damn it! Ah! There it was. I quickly grabbed it and inserted it into the lock. My eyes closed, and I let out a relieved sigh as the lid slowly opened. I reached in and pulled out the Glock that was nestled there. At least he'd been right about it being fully loaded.

I managed to move up onto the seat. My head was spinning, and I felt like I was going to be sick. I looked out the window of the truck and saw Kye watching out the window to the right of the warehouse door. He had his gun out and seemed to be focused on something on the other side of the wall.

There was movement to his right, and I turned in that direction to see a person all in black creeping up on my partner. Everything blurred for a moment, and I swayed. I fought to stay upright as I turned the key in the ignition so I could power down the driver's window. I held the gun in my left hand and took aim. Just as I was about to squeeze the trigger, everything started to swim. Damn it! I could take the shot, but I risked hitting Kye. What the hell was I going to do? Why couldn't I think straight?

My body started to shake. I fought for control and tried to steady my arm. I saw the dark figure raise something in the air, and I acted on instinct. A shot rang out, and I felt myself thrown back against the seat of the truck. My last conscious thought was Kye calling my name.

"_Stephanie!"_


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25:**

**Ranger's POV**

As I neared the pier where Chopper had set up to meet Daje, I felt a measure of relief that J was safely in my truck. There was no way for anyone to get to her as long as she didn't open the door. It was the deciding factor on my opting to use my favorite toy instead of leaving it at the house safely locked in the garage. Of course, I doubted the agent would appreciate my sacrifice in bringing my prize down here where it might get damaged.

Scanning the area as I moved forward, I had a bad feeling in my gut that all was not as it appeared. It was on one of the passes I made over the area with my gaze that I caught movement. I gave a hand signal that I knew would be picked up by one of my men as I moved forward.

The closer I got to the target spot, the more my skin started crawling with the weird vibes I was picking up. The sound of a door clicking shut was loud in the silence of the night. A few seconds later, the man I'd come here to get stepped into view, a sneering grin on his face. "Welcome, _Ranger Manoso_. So nice of you to save me the trouble of coming after you."

I smiled mockingly at him. "Apparently this wasn't as big of a surprise as I'd hoped."

Daje laughed sardonically. "Money talks. Even those who take oaths to uphold the law are for sale when the right price is named."

I shrugged. "Since you seem to have the upper hand, why don't you tell me who we have to thank for giving you this prior knowledge."

Daje shook his head. "I don't think so. I might have need for his services again."

My eyes narrowed, and I could feel the corner of my mouth move up slightly in a half sneer. "So you're not as confident as you might appear."

The look on his face turned to one of anger, and he went to take a step forward. His gaze darted to the general area where I'd parked the truck, and his face changed suddenly, as if he felt more confident in the outcome going in his favor. "We have something that you seem to think belongs to you. If you want the bitch back, you'll need to bring me my brother."

I stood there staring at the man, not letting anything of what I was thinking through. I couldn't help but wonder if one of his men had found my truck. Still, with A on lookout and J firmly locked in the truck where I'd left her, their chances of getting to her were nearly non-existent. I had the sudden feeling that if anyone could screw up my sure thing, it would be that little minx. I felt my unease grow as a shot rang out.

I focused on Daje. My hope now was to take the man down and secure him so we could get him to one of the holding cells back at RangeMan. I had to hope that the weapon I'd heard was Agent A taking care of whoever had found them. Blocking what was potentially happening in that warehouse from my mind, I stepped forward.

Daje swung his arm, and the battle began.

I blocked the right uppercut that he'd thrown and followed through with a right to his gut. He was big and strong, but he was also carrying fat along with his muscle, and the man was used to women being on the receiving end. I could tell my blow had a bigger effect on him than he was used to as a look of what seemed to be dawning fear crossed his face.

He scrambled back and practically screamed, "_Thor_!"

Daje looked around almost frantically when the other man didn't show. Of course, I knew that Thor wouldn't be helping him at all. I stepped in and continued to school the bastard on the fine art of fighting. Although I was aware of weapons being discharged and the sounds of others locked in hand-to-hand combat, my main focus was on taking down the monster in front of me. He got in a couple of good hits, but he wasn't up to my level of expertise, and it didn't take me long to have him down on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back.

As I stood looking down at the bloody mess that was King Daje, he smiled. My eyes narrowed on him as he worked his mouth, as if he were trying to speak. From the distorted shape of one side of his face, I had a good idea that his jaw was shattered on that side. Still, he was able to say what was on his mind. "I'll enjoy imagining all the horrible things Harper has planned to torture her and knowing there isn't anything you can do to find them."

The sound of a vehicle approaching had me turning slightly, enough to see that someone was driving my damn truck without permission. Before I could respond, the truck stopped a few feet away and the doors opened, with Agent A getting out of the passenger seat, followed by Agent J getting out on the driver's side.

I decided to deal with her later and turned to Daje. "Looks like they failed to grab her."

Daje laughed, but it died halfway as a coughing fit overtook him. "Don't worry. These were only the expendables. Harper and his two close minions are still out there. And they'll have her soon enough. I'd love to see your face when you get a look at his finished product."

It was all I could do not to kill the bastard then and there, but he might have information I could get out of him before we turned the two men over to Cabrerra. I'd made a promise to the man that both of the men would be alive when they got them, though, so I refrained.

Tank moved up beside me. "We got all of them."

I gave a single nod and motioned to the sick bastard on the ground. "Take them back to RangeMan and let the general know that his package is ready for delivery."

Tank grinned. "He and his men will know just what to do with this garbage."

I put a hand on his shoulder and turned to where J was leaning heavily against A. Something about her posture was niggling at the back of my mind, but I couldn't put my finger on just what the problem was. I scanned the area. Even though we seemed to have all the players all trussed up, something was still nagging at my gut.

A movement from the sidelines caught my attention, and I turned to see a Molotov cocktail being lobbed into the bed of my truck. A picked up their pace, and I started moving forward to help him get J away from the fallout zone. A sudden blur that I recognized as Thor streaked from the bushes and lifted her, tucking her into the crook of his arm like she was a football, and everyone started running.

There was a boat that was in disrepair on the dock, and we managed to make it behind there before the flames reached the gas tank and there was an explosion. I looked out to see my favorite toy leap into the air and crash back down before the whole thing was engulfed in flames. I turned to where the two agents were seated. A was holding J against his chest, and something about the protective hold set my teeth on edge. Not that I didn't appreciate him taking care of her, but in my mind, she'd become mine to care for, and the sooner he learned that, the better for all of us.

I moved closer, only to have A glaring up at me. "Just stay the hell away from her. You've already done enough damage with that stunt you pulled…or did you forget that she's still recovering from a concussion?"

Brown's voice spoke up from behind me. "How bad of a concussion? What did the doctor say?"

A frowned as Brown moved in and knelt down beside J. "I recognize you from the safe house, but I have no clue who you are or what business this is of yours."

Bobby met his gaze. "I'm the RangeMan medic. I'm the equivalent of a field doctor and have the same privileges of a nurse practitioner. I need to check her out. Concussions can be tricky. Has she thrown up?"

J's voice was weak, and as relieved as I was to know she was keeping up with the conversation, her words had me feeling more than a twinge of guilt as I realized my "sure thing" to keep her safe was anything but.

She looked up at Bobby, and all I could see were her beautiful blue eyes, which were dilated and filled with a world of pain as she spoke in a tone that was barely whisper soft. "I felt like it…when I had to lie upside down…to get to the key." She swallowed, as if getting all that out had been a major feat.

The guilt was eating at me. I moved around to the other side, glaring at Thor, who was kneeling down on her other side. He sent me a mocking look before standing and moving so I could get closer to her. I sat down on the ground beside her and disregarded the arguments of the others as I pulled her over onto my lap. She looked up at me, and the impression of bruised eyes hit me hard. I felt like someone had taken hold of my heart and ripped it in two. I turned to Brown and growled, "Don't just sit there. Do something."

I glared up at Thor, who seemed to be watching the woman in my arms with a look that set me on edge. I nodded toward where I could see Juniak and Morelli running toward where we were. "Why don't you make yourself useful and run interference so Bobby can check her out."

Thor looked at me solemnly for a moment before he smiled. He turned slightly in A's direction, yet still didn't actually look at him as he said, "Come on, Agent. You can help keep the wolves at bay."

I held her in my arms as Bobby ran through some imaginary check list.

He shook his head and said, "I don't like it. I'd feel better if we took her to Massachusetts General and had them run tests to make sure there is no bleeding in the brain. I know that's over four hours from here, but they are the best with brain injuries."

I felt like I was going to throw up. Knowing I'd placed her in this danger was eating at my insides. I knew I'd choke on the words if I tried to say anything. All I could do was nod.

Bobby stood and ran over toward the nearest vehicle. I watched as he was stopped by Juniak, and the faint sound of Brown telling the others what the plan was barely registered.

I pulled her close to me and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Babe. I never meant for you to be placed in danger. That I'm the cause of this makes me sick."

She tilted her head up to look at me. The corner of her mouth tilted in a semblance of a smile. "I'm okay."

My hand came up and caressed the side of her face. "I'm holding you to that."

There was a hint of twinkle in her eyes, but I wouldn't feel any better about this until I knew she was out of danger.

About that time, I heard someone approaching and lifted my gaze to see Brown was back, withThor and Agent A on either side of him, as well as Juniak and Morelli. The look on Morelli's face was fierce as he glared at me. He squatted down beside me and reached out for the woman in my arms.

I growled, "Back off."

He gave me a disgusted look. "I'm going to hold her while you get up, or did you plan to just sit with her here on the ground and let things get worse?"

Lester stepped through the gathering crowd and pushed between Morelli and me, sitting beside me. He looked at me and said, "Let me hold Beautiful while you get up, and then you can have her right back."

I nodded. After helping him to gather her in his arms, I stood and then lifted her gently in my arms, holding her close to me. I turned and headed for the back passenger door of the SUV Bobby had pulled up.

A was there ahead of me, opening the door. Our gazes met, and he insisted, "I'm going to hold her while you get in. I need to go with."

I just stared at him, still not trusting myself to speak out loud.

Thor moved up beside us. "We're both going." His eyes met mine as he added, "And if anything happens to her, your worries are over, because you'll be dead."

I nodded. "I'll hold you to that."

His eyes widened as I moved past him with J in my arms, climbing into the back of the vehicle with Brown climbing in beside us. Thor took the driver's seat, and A got in the front passenger seat.

Before the front door was shut, Morelli had hold of the door, asking, "Which hospital?"

Brown responded with the name of the hospital, and then the door was shut and we were on our way.

**Lester's POV**

I left Junior in charge of the cleanup as Bones and I headed for the SUV. Ranger had given me the location where we were heading, and I wasted no time in getting there. I called Tank on the way to see where he was setting up the perimeter so that when we pulled into Trenton a short time later, we could park close enough without making anyone suspicious. There was a street three blocks over that would be ideal for parking, and I headed the SUV in that direction.

I'd learned from Tank that Juniak and Morelli would be joining us at the pier, as well as Bobby and the group at the safe house minus the civilian, Mooner. Lula was keeping him under wraps so he'd be out of harm's way.

As we neared our destination, I turned to Bones. "Any luck on finding that house?"

Bones shook his head. "Not yet. Once the City Clerk's office opens in the morning, I'm betting I'll have more information."

My fist clenched on the wheel. It bothered me that I was no closer to finding the woman that had stolen my heart in London. I'd never believed in love at first sight, but one look at Tina, and I was a goner. I prayed that we'd find her in time. My eyes narrowed as I made a mental promise to myself that the men who took her would pay for what they were doing to her. As much as I hated watching them torture her, I hadn't been able to look away, because as much as I hated the pain she was going through, I was assured that she was still alive.

I pulled into the area I'd been making for and parked on the street. Both of us made sure we were fully armed before getting out of the vehicle and jogging the short distance to where we would be positioned. As we made our way, I caught sight of Ranger's F150 truck that he was so fond of. Bones and I were able to get into position before Ranger started making for the rendezvous.

It was as Ranger was moving toward the meeting area that I picked up the hand signal he sent out to us. I scanned the area and picked up movement that was too clumsy to be one of the guys. For one thing, we knew better than to let someone see us. I signaled to Bones, and we moved out to neutralize the threat since we were the closest to them.

I trusted Bones to take care of his target and focused on mine. The man was bopping up and down behind a barrel, as if he were trying to get a good angle from which to take a shot. I moved in silently, and when he popped up again, my Glock was pointed at his face.

I watched as his face paled and he swallowed hard. He backed up, and I followed him, motioning for him to take a seat on the ground. He didn't seem to understand my gestures, so I swept his feet out from under him to help him get the message.

My eyes narrowed on him as I asked, "How many of you are there?"

He gave me a puzzled look, and I sighed with disgust. I took out a couple of zip-ties and fastened his hands behind his back before tying his ankles together. To make sure he wouldn't easily get out of them, I intertwined his wrists and ankles. With that done, I turned and surveyed the area to see if I could pick up any other un-friendlies.

I caught sight of Ranger facing Daje, and from my vantage point, I noticed movement behind Ranger at the warehouse in the background. Daje seemed to acquire a smug look, and I had to wonder if he'd picked up the same thing I had. I was too far away to hear the conversation between the two of them, but from Daje's posture, I got the impression he thought he was in the catbird's seat.

I knew Ranger would handle Daje, so I turned my focus to the area around me, once more scanning to see if I could pick up anyone that wasn't a RangeMan. There were three men barricaded near the end of the pier, but just as I moved in that direction, I saw Cal's body shoot from the water, causing the three to swing in his direction. Hal moved in from behind them, and I knew between the two of them, they would have no problem with the trio in their sights.

The sound of fists connecting with flesh was strong all over the pier, and as I looked around once again, I saw the guys were all involved in hand-to-hand combat. I felt a little put-out that I wasn't seeing some of the action. After all, I needed to hit somebody in the worst way. It would be a way to let out some of the anger I was feeling at not knowing where Tina was so I could go and rescue her.

Tank was fully engaged with three men in funny garb that had the same crest on the clothing that Prince Raje had worn when we'd picked him up in London. As I continued my scan, I saw that Bobby and Woody were each exchanging punches with other men wearing the same emblem. Ram, Binkie, Erik, and Rodriguez were busy with a group of seven men of their own. Something about the men they were fighting was calling at the edges of my mind, but I couldn't put my finger on why quite yet. I noticed that Bones had his target all trussed up as well, and I was just about to get upset about missing out on all the fun when it dawned on me just what it was about the men that had drawn my attention. I tore off in their direction.

By the time I'd gotten there, Erik sent the man he was fighting sprawling.

I placed my knee on the man's chest and had my gun at his temple. "Where are the rest of your friends, you little bastard?!"

He smiled. It was a sick smile, as if he enjoyed getting me to show emotion.

Erik moved toward us, and I motioned him away. With my free hand, I grabbed the arm with the tattoo and demanded once more, "Where are you holding her?"

The laugh that escaped from him made my skin crawl. His words had me wanting to tear him limb from limb. "You'll never find her in time. And soon, she will have the other one to keep her company."

I was vaguely aware that the sound of battle was getting fainter. I pulled back, squeezed the trigger slightly, and was rewarded with a change in his face. There was a hint of fear in his eyes. I leaned in close and whispered harshly, "You'd better pray that I do. Because you are going to a holding cell, and whatever is done to her, I can promise you that you will receive the same treatment."

There was the sudden strong smell of urine in the air. I smiled before I turned to Ram and said, "Make sure this one gets to a RangeMan holding cell."

Ram stepped forward. "My pleasure. He'll be there waiting for you."

I looked around and was a little deflated that the fight was over already. I caught sight of Bobby and frowned as I asked, "Was there a gun shot a couple minutes ago?"

Before he could answer, the sound of a vehicle closing fast was heard. I turned to see Ranger's pride and joy heading toward where he was standing on the pier. When Beautiful and her partner got out, I wondered what Ranger was going to do about her driving his baby. Before I could do more than form the question, a Molotov cocktail was lobbed into the bed of the truck. I saw Agent A trying to get Agent J safely away and knew they weren't going to make it at that pace. Before anyone else could act, Thor lifted her like a football and started running with her.

I turned my gaze in the direction the bomb had come from and saw a guy on a motorcycle racing away. Ranger was too distracted to act, so I took it upon myself to step in. One word was all I needed to say, and I said it. "_Ram_!"

A single shot rang out, and the man on the motorcycle was dead.

**Tank's POV**

I stood watching as the SUV left the scene. I was pissed that the little toad had gotten past our men, and I was determined to find out the reason for that. I'd thought all of Daje's men had been accounted for. According to the intel we'd gotten from Penelope, we had them all. When I got back to RangeMan, I intended to make an international call and get to the bottom of this. Too many things weren't adding up, and I was beginning to think we had a second mole besides Critter. We knew he was dirty from what Agent A had told Woody when they were on their way back to the hotel a few days ago. The fact that the little bastard had followed Shep here was pretty damn suspicious. I think it was time we found out just why he'd made the trip.

I signaled the men, and when they joined me, I gave them all their cleanup detail. I was just giving out the last assignment when Hector and Junior arrived. I watched them exit the vehicle and head my way.

Hector motioned with his head toward the prisoners. "You want me to take care of this garbage?"

I shook my head. "I need you to handle a special detail."

Our eyes met, and I could see by the way his turned fierce that he understood. He gave a single nod and was gone.

Junior seemed to realize he'd just been left and turned to me. "Where do you want me to help?"

I searched the area before glancing back at him to say, "You can help Cal."

He was gone in a flash, and I was once again alone with my anger that we'd been set up the way we had. I smiled as I thought about the man that I'd just let loose on the one I suspected was responsible. I hoped Critter was in shape…because with Hector after him, there would be no place for him to hide. I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to find that one of the men we'd caught was trying to sneak away. I smiled as I moved over to show him he would have been better off staying where he was. One punch was all it took, and everything was over before it began. Seeing nothing else to take my frustration out on, I moved over to the nearby shed and threw a punch at the wall. The entire structure crumpled to the ground in front of me.

Lester snarked, "Geez, big guy. What did that poor little shack do to you?"

I whirled around, ready to go at him, but his hands were up in the air in a surrendering motion. Something about the look on his face had me pausing, when at any other time, he would have gotten a well-earned blow. I paused, waiting for him to speak, and was rewarded for my effort with a direction to focus my anger.

"How about you help me question those guys over there? They're part of the group that kidnapped Tina."

I gave a single nod, letting him know I was on board with the plan. Shep was one of us, and I was as anxious to get his sister back as the next guy. Besides, if I was lucky, I might get to do some pounding on flesh and use up some of this anger that was straining for release.

**A/N: **In case you'd like to get a better idea of what the characters in the story look like, I'm setting up a Pinterest board. My co-conspirator for the story has been instrumental in finding just the right pictures of the people in my mind. The board isn't totally complete yet, but there is quite a bit there. You'll have to put the link together but here it is:

http (colon) (slash) (slash) .com (slash) christibabe (slash) the (hyphen) runaway (slash)


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